Perfection
by YinYangofthePeaceCircle
Summary: Done with SmurfyFriend! Not all work is mine! Farmer has always promised to protect Vanity. Always. But what happens when Vanity is attacked by Azrael? Will Farmer's guilt smurf him over the edge? Or will Aiko and Chi be able to stop him from doing something horrible? And if they do...what cost might they, in turn, pay...?FarmerXVanity, GutsyXOC, HeftyXOC. Read and Review!
1. Friends and Felines

AN:

Chi: Hi, everysmurf! I'm Chisette, SmurfyFriend's OC!

Aiko: I think you guys already know me. But I'm Aiko, the insane, vicious one. I belong to YinYangofthePeaceCircle.

Chi: We, that is to say, Smurfy and YinYang, did a roleplay about Vanity and Farmer, or, as I call it, Vanarmer.

Aiko: I call it Farmity, but whatever.

Chi:…Any who, YinYang is making this a story. So read and review!

Aiko: Just so everysmurf knows, Kenzie, Sadie, and Janice, along with the wolves, won't appear here. Just me. So in case you guys get confused, they apparently don't exist. Or maybe they do, I have no idea.

Chi: Yuppers. Also, the Dreamy, Alchemist, Flier, Tracker, HeftyXSmurfette, Baby, and HandyXSmurfette(presumably) are going strong in this RP! If you don't know what we mean, read Smurfy's fics on FanFiction and _The Smurfs: The Chisette Chronicles_ on DeviantART.

Aiko: Mmhmm. Smurfy's name there is dragonmastrcrashrokz. And YinYang is Riverthunder, if anyone's wondering.

Chi: This is getting to be a bit long, let's get on with the RP already!

Aiko: Okay, okay! Just so everysmurf is clear, SmufyFriend owns this too! So go tell her what you think of this, of Chi, whatever. YinYang doesn't own everything! Except the idea that something needed to happen to Vanity so Farmer was guilt tripping for once, but…ya know. On with the RP, entitled:

_Perfection_

Chapter One:

Friendship and Felines

It was morning in the Smurf Village. Early morning at that. Most of the Smurfs were still sleeping in their mushroom-shaped houses. Including two Smurfs in particular: Vanity and Farmer. They slept in their shared bed, Farmer's arm around the smaller Smurf, without a care in the world. Until the alarm clock went off, that is.

Vanity stretched his arms up over his head, yawning. a bit as dawn crept sneakily into the mushroom. "

Farmer, dear, do you have to turn that thing up so loud?" The narcissist complained. "The morning is evil." Farmer groggily swatted at the ringing alarm clock, turning it off, and brought his arm around Vanity again, yawning widely. "'Good mornin' t'you too,'" he said drowsily, "You know me, shug. Ah'd sleep through a Garg'mel attack if he din' step right on top'a me."

"It's true," Vanity teased, snuggling closer to Farmer. "Sleep through anything, that's you."

Farmer held Vanity close, enjoying his sweet, almost citrusy scent. After a moment or two he let out a little sigh. "Mmmm... Ah love you, shugah." he murmured.

"So, who are you working with today, honey?" asked Vanity, breathing in Farmer's musky scent with a small smile playing around his lips. He was so busy drinking in his mate's scent he almost didn't hear the answer.

Farmer ran his fingernail lightly up and down Vanity's arm. "Hmmm... Don' remember..." he said, "Ah guess Ah'll find out when Ah get to th' fields." he chuckled a little.

Truth be told, he DID know. But he felt resentful enough about having to work with him, even if he was sorta forced by Papa. He thought Vanity would flip if he knew Farmer was working with Tracker today.

"Mmm." mumbled Vanity, pressing his face into Farmer's chest. "Guess we hafta get up, then..."

He really didn't want to. It was so peaceful, lying here with his Smurf, with no worries...

"Yeah, guess so, shug." Farmer begrudgingly admitted, planting a kiss on his mate's forehead. "Cain't jus' lay here all day, much's Ah'd like to."

He was really enjoying this time with Vanity. But he had to go get a jump on harvesting the crops before it got too hot outside. After a little squeeze, Farmer started getting out on his side of the bed, and looking for a clean pair of overalls.

Vanity groaned. "I have to go gather herbs with Aiko and Brainy...I'll never survive."

He finally tore himself away from his mate, dragging himself out of bed. "Papa's two apprentices, in one place, arguing...my complexion can't smurf it, darling!"

Farmer chuckled a little. "Jus' think how Papa feels. He deals wit'em _all day._"

He found a clean pair of overalls and started putting them on.

"How he survives...maybe it's because Aiko specializes in spells and Brainy is usually blowing the roof off his mushroom with those concoctions he calls 'potions'." Vanity snickered.

He pulled on a clean pair of pants and then grabbed his hat with the flower on it. "And Aiko actually has some idea of what she's doing. And she listens, whereas Brainy just charges forward."

Farmer nodded a little and clipped his overalls, then grabbed his straw hat off the rack, "True... Bu' with that temper'a hers, she's 'bout as dangerous as Brainy's 'potions' some days!" he said with a small chuckle.

He stretched his stiff neck and muttered something about needing a better pillow. "Jus' tune 'em out, an' it'll be a lot less of a headache..." he said.

"Oh, I more than agree, darling," Vanity nodded. "I hardly smurfed a wink...look at these circles!" he moaned, dabbing concealor around his eyes.

"Well," he smiled, once he'd finished his beautifying, "better head to breakfast. Aiko, Chi, Smurfette and the others will be waiting for us..."

Farmer smiled a little, then tilted Vanity's face up towards his and kissed his lips lightly. "We prolly shou'... C'mon."

He offered his arm the way an escort would and stood at their bedroom door.

When they arrived at the Mess Hall, Aiko looked up. Her blond streaked hair cut in an A line bounced slightly . Her icy blue eyes sparkled. "Here they come," she smiled, nuzzling into Gutsy's side.

"'Bout time," joked her Scottish mate. "You've been smurfin' on about how ya need ta talk wit' Vanity, an' now ya can. Maybe the rest of us will git a bit'o peace now, Lassie."

"Smurf up, _ravu_," muttered Aiko from where her face was buried in his sash. "I was under the impression you liked your tongue where it was. If I was mistaken..." s trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air.

Gutsy cleared his throat.

Farmer stepped into the chow line, getting a second plate so Vanity could go get them seats. Chi found an open seat next to Hefty and sort of catty-corner to Aiko and smiled at her. "Mornin', Aiko. Mornin' Guts. How's the happy couple this morning?" she said, good humor in her voice.

"Just smurfy," smirked Aiko. "Except he's got a knack for smurfing the wrong thing at the wrong time."

"They do that, darling," Vanity sighed as he took his seat. "They can be downright dreadful at times. Just remember why you said 'yes' and have that rock on your finger."

"Let me see," said Smurfette. "I haven't seen it since the wedding!"

Aiko smiled pleasantly as she held out one hand. Her talon-like nails shined in the dimmer light of the Mess Hall, but the bright, light blue of the sapphire gleamed brightly. Smaller, less noticeable rubies danced around the larger gem. The silver ring connected to her wedding band, which had the inscription 'Forever in My Heart and Soul'.

"I still say it was overkill..." Aiko murmured, nuzzling Gutsy's chin with her head.

"An' I say yea deserve it," Gutsy retorted, kissing her hair.

"Ah," sighed Vanity dreamily. "Young love..."

Chi cracked and popped her knuckles out of nervous habit. "Oy, _bubbeleh_, overkill or not, you're braver than I am," she admitted, "I've never even been in a relationship for more than a year. I'm scared to death to get married!"

Farmer got his and Vanity's food and sat next to his mate.

Aiko nuzzled Gutsy's chin again. "Aw, when ya find your soulmate you won't hesitate, Chi. I guarantee it."

As Smurfette turned to Chi, Aiko turned to Vanity. "Sorry again about herb duty."

"No worries," Vanity replied nonchalantly, waving an airy hand.

"It's just, if I have to spend the day with Smarty Smurf alone, I'll go mad."

"I hear you loud and clear, darling," Vanity nodded.

"Vanity!" Yelled Gutsy suddenly, look out!"

But too late. The vain Smurf was dripping wet, covered in smurfberry juice.

Aiko's ice eyes flashed a fiery ice color. "TRACKER!" she shrieked, standing up so fast she was a blur. Her hands crackled with blue electricity, sparking threateningly.

Papa Smurf was moving forward. Noticing this, Gutsy gently wrapped an arm around her thin waist. "Papa'll handle it, lassie."Gutsy soothed. "Calm down."

"Promise me you'll accidentally on purpose hit him during the harvest." She was relieving her feelings by making a rude hand gesture in Tracker's direction with one hand and using a Cleaning Spell on Vanity with the other.

"Tanks," Vanity stuttered, obviously still in shock.

"No problem," Aiko replied.

"Don't let 'im get on yer nerves, lass," Gutsy murmured sagely. He gently rubbed her arm.

Her sleeves were rolled up for summer, and some of the angry red scars she and her mother had made were visible. "I hate smurfstards like him," snarled Aiko. "They remind me of my parents."

"_A feier zol im trefen!*_"Chi muttered Yiddish poisonously, INCREDIBLY tempted to flip him the smurf's version of the bird.

Farmer had an arm around Vanity, rubbing his back in small circles and speaking quiet, comforting words. "Feh!" Chi continued, "At least Hefty's takin' my place today, and I'll be with you guys," she looked at Vanity and Aiko, "Then You and Hef can teach that _chamoole**_a lesson out in the fields, Farmer."

Farmer tensed up and looked at the ground, simply waiting for "Hurricane Vanity".

"And then he was gone," Aiko declared ominously. "Gutsy, I'll handle that bit, you just make sure nosmurf's watching."

Vanity suddenly flipped out. "SMURF UP!" He screeched, glaring at them. "JUST SMURF UP, WHY DON'T YOU?"

Aiko surveyed him closely over her glasses. "Temper, temper," she chided, blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "Anysmurf would think you were trying to pick a fight, Vanity dear."

"Well, maybe I am," Vanity growled.

"Really wanna play this game, Vanity?" Aiko asked, a taunting note in her voice. Vanity would have to be insane to try and fight her, physically or verbally.

"I…I…I…." Vanity searched for a comeback, finally snapping, "At least I'm not as blind as a bat without a few shards of glass!"

"Ooo, low blow," Aiko smirked.

Chi suddenly got the sinking feeling she had said something she shouldn'tve.

Farmer turned his mate towards him. "Van'ty, calm down,"he said, "He's workin' in th' fields t'day. it's not like he's comin' over f' wine."

"Sorry," mumbled Vanity. "I guess my patience was smurfed."

"Happens to the best of us," drawled Aiko. "Oh smurf," she added. "Finish your meal fast. Geeky Smurf approacheth from the yonder."

Aiko, Chi, Vanity and Brainy finished their breakfasts, and had adjourned to the forest to go pick roots. Aiko and Brainy clashed, as they always seem to, and Vanity and Chi just conversed privately, ignoring the apprentices bickering. "So, how HAS your relationship been, bubbeleh?" Chi said, picking more roots, "You 'n Farmer are so close... how on smurf do you do it?"

"It's not always easy," Vanity admitted thoughtfully. "Sometimes we fight. Ad I swear, sometimes we must sound like those two."

They paused long enough to hear Aiko shriek, "BRAINY, ONE MORE SOUND OUT OF YOUR MOUTH INVOLVING MY WEDDING, RECEPTION, RING, HONEYMOON, OR GUTSY'S DESCION TOMAKE GROUCBY THE BESST MAN, I SWEAR, I WILL SMURF YOU INTO CATFOOD AND FEED YOU TO AZRAEL!"

"Not always a completely smurfy couple," Vanity concluded. "Part of it is knowing when to admit you were wrong or crossed a line."

Chi chuckled listening to Aiko scream at Brainy. "Heh heh... that right there's me and Hefty on a regular basis." She shook her head and laughed. "Ever have days when Farmer just kinda- bugs you?" she shrugged again, "I can't tell with you guys sometimes!"

"Of course! I love him to death, dear, but sometimes he's so underfoot! If we need some time alone, though, he lets me have my space. Communication, darling."

He paused "Ya know, Aiko and Gutsy are like that too. If she needs her space she just heads for that tree hollow and spends the night there."

"But don't ask me how she manages because I honestly don't know. I'm sure. The mosquitoes must suck away at her complexion."

"SMURFIT! BRAINY, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY NOT TO BUG E WHILE I'M DOING MAGIC?"

"Sorry, Aiko!" Brainy scuttled into view then, quelling under Aiko's fiery gaze.

"A SIMPLE DIGGING SPELL! A DIGGING SPELL, BRAINY! NOW LOOK AT ME!"

Vanity smiled slightly but did not speak.

"I'M SMURFIN' PINK!" She wailed.

Chi stared for a minute, trying REALLY hard not to laugh or smile. Unsuccessfully, of course. she chuckled a little. slowly but surely, her chuckle developed into a full Jokey-Style belly laugh, despite the poisonous glare from Aiko. Little did she know, her loud laugh was signaling a very... _UNWANTED_ set of visitors...

The pure-pink Aiko was about to pounce on Chi when she looked up. Gargamel and Azrael were RIGHT ABOVE HER.

She tried to scream, but her throat wouldn't work. She gave up and turned tail, racing for a tree. Brainy sprinted after her. In his eyes, better stuck in an oak with a pink murderous Aiko than on the ground with a half-mad wizard and Smurf-hungry Abyssinian tabby cat.

Chi must have picked up on Aiko's panic or seen the pair herself. Either way, she was gone as well. The only Smurf left was Vanity...

...Who seemed frozen with shock.

"Vanity!" screamed Brainy. "Are you surfing insane? Run!"

Vanity seemed to begin to gather his bearings, but Azrael needed no such preparation.

He leaped, claws extended, teeth bared. He landed on top of Vanity, claws piercing his blue skin. Vanity yelped in pain as the cat's claws began to rake and tear his back, sides, and face, the yellow eyes burning with malice.

Chi clapped her hands over her mouth, so as not to scream, tears of horror filling her eyes. She watched helplessly from the perch on the oak tree as her best friend was nearly ripped to pieces and batted around by the hungry cat.

Eventually, Gargamel shooed his feline companion away from his prey."Get away, Azrael!" he growled at the cat, "The little blue bumpkin might just bleed to death before we can cook it!"

Chi, Brainy and Aiko watched in horror as a helpless Vanity was dropped carelessly into a little woven fishing knapsack and taken away. Without a moment's hesitation, Chi started climbing back down the tree and ran towards the village, quickly getting tired. Farmer's fields were the first thing they saw, along with Gutsy, Hefty, Farmer and Tracker planting and picking crops. Farmer looked up at them, noticing his mate wasn't with them... And that Aiko was pink... he shook that thought for the moment, and focused his attention on the struggling to breathe Chi. He took her hand and eased her onto a nearby stump."Chi! Shugah, ya shouldn' be runnin' like tha'... But- Where's Van'ty?"

Chi tried to answer, but was completely out of breath, due to the baby.

"Vanity's hurt!" Aiko choked out. "Gargamel has him. And Tracker," she added, seeing him smiling stupidly at her pink form, "say one smurfin' and I'll kill you!"

Tracker put up his hands defensively, that stupid, smug smile on his face. Hefty and Gutsy soon joined them, Hefty going over to Chi and making sure she was okay. Farmer's face nearly turned white and his heart dropped into his stomach. the slightly overripe tomato he had in his hand dropped to the ground. _Vanity's hurt... _the words stabbed him right in the chest. Without a word, he quickly started running out towards the forest. The others followed him, and Chi looked up and groaned. "SMURFIT... More RUNNING!" she moaned, but soon followed right after.

Aiko tore after them. " FARMER, WOULD YOU SLOW THE SMURF DOWN SO I CAN SAY SOMETHING?" she yelled as Gutsy tried to catch up.

"SERIOUSLY, PUT YOUR SMURF IN PARK!" Aiko screeched.

Farmer kept running, not slowing down for an instant, not looking back to them. He'd PROMISED Vanity he would protect him. from Tracker, from Gargamel- ANYONE, and anything. Knowing his mate was hurt was bad enough. But hurt, AND that smurfing wizard got his hands on him? Farmer leapt over a fallen log and quickened his pace.

"HELLO, SPRINTER SMURF! INTERESTED IN A SHORTCUT?"

Farmer started to slow down, feeling the beginnings of a side-stitch in his gut. "Orright..." he panted, "Whady'a got in mind, shug...?"

"Simple," replied Aiko. "Turn left here, head to the Owl Rock, smurf a left by the poison ivy patch, cross the brook and take a right to Gargamel's."

"How do ye know that?" asked Gutsy, awed.

"Because Gargamel gets YOU on a weekly basis," she replied, flicking his nose."

Farmer cracked a slight smile for half a second, then ran the path she mentioned. the rescue party quickly reached the bog, and the lopsided hovel that laid in the center of it. The Smurfs climbed up to the window, searching for a sign of their friend. Gargamel stood in the corner, peering into a woven fish basket. "This won't do us any good!" Gargamel scowled, "the miserable little thing's unconscious. we need it AWAKE to make gold!"

Azrael mewled and growled in reply. Gargamel grumbled, and then carelessly dropped a broken and bleeding Vanity into a small glass beaker. "We'll just keep it in here until it wakes up," he muttered, then capped the glass vial. "In the meantime, I'm going to find that blasted alchemy recipe!"

"Alright, first thing's first. Someone needs to distract the cat." Aiko briefed, tugging at her hair. And still looking ridiculously pink.

"Ah'll do it," Gutsy offered enthusiastically.

"Great, good, be careful. Brainy, Chi, you guys deal with Gargamel. If he can get Azrael out of commission he'll come help you, but don't bet on it. Farmer, I'll need you to help me get Vanity. I'll smurf you the rest of that when the others have those two distracted. Everybody got it?"

"Yep! Yep!" Chi nodded, cracking her knuckles. "let's gidd'er done!"

Gutsy, Brainy and Chi lept over the gap between the table and the windowsill and distracted their respective targets. Farmer started scaling the bookshelf ahead of Aiko. He HAD to get to Vanity. he just HAD to. "Almos' there..." he breathed, reaching for the next shelf.

Gutsy had distracted Azreal right into the unsteady bookshelf, making the whole shelf shake precariously. Farmer and Aiko gripped the shelves as the unit shook. The beaker on top shook with it, wobbling close to the edge, until it finally started falling...

Aiko threw out a hand; obviously she was hoping to catch Vanity before he fell past her. But too late- Vanity's glass prison lay shattered around his broken body.

Aiko leaped off the shelf as Farmer let out a strangled cry.

She did not notice the glass cutting deep into her palms, knees, or any part of her, really. She felt the bite as they gouged mercilessly into her, but she ignored it.

Farmer came up behind her as she reached Vanity. He made a noise like a sob, but Aiko shooed him away. She began checking Vanity's vitals. Finally, she said, "He's alive. But only just."

Meanwhile, Azrael was apparently doused in an anti-gravity potion and was stalking around on the ceiling. Gargamel was out cold, covered in rope.

"Brainy! Come help me!" Aiko demanded.

The bespectacled Smurf hurried to obey. "We need him on a stable surface...how much would Feathers jostle him, d'you think?"

Gutsy and Chi were picking their way over. "Don' worreh, Farmer," Gutsy consoled. "Aiko's not gonna let 'im go witout a lotta fight, from 'er and 'im."

The farmhand Smurf almost didn't hear him. Farmer felt his hands trembling. he almost fell to his knees, moving pieces of glass away from his lover's body. in the flurry of activity, Farmer took hold of Vanity's hand and squeezed for all his worth, pressing the back of his hand to his cheek, using it to wipe away tears. In the flourish of activity, somesmurf had gone to call for Feathers. "Farmer," Chi said, her voice broken in fear, "W-we have to get him to Papa Smurf's..."

Farmer gently moved more glass from Vanity's body and gently picked the battered Smurf up in his arms. he quickly, and carefully carried him to the large bird, the others close behind.

"Farmer," Aiko instructed, "you need to make sure Vanity doesn't fall, but don't hold him too tightly. He's definately got some broken bones."

Brainy had told Feathers to take them to the village and to keep the ride gentle. Now she spread her wings to take off.

Gutsy glanced at his horridly pink mate. Aiko didn't seem to notice her injuries. That was good. He knew when she saw them she would have a panic attack. Every time something like this happened, Aiko remembered the horrible wounds her parents had made and became incoherent. He would rather have her panic on solid ground rather than in the air.

Farmer did as instructed, holding his beloved close, picking little shards of glass from his face, and caressing his bloody cheek. He'd let this happen to Vanity on HIS watch... This was HIS fault! his tears didn't stop flowing. he held his face close to Vanity's almost rocking a little. "Y-you're gon' be okay now, shugah...Y-you're gon' be okay... _P-please be okay_..."

Soon enough, they reached the village. Feathers let them down gently and nudged them towards Papa's house with her beak. Farmer burst through the door, not even bothering to knock. "Pa' Smurf! Pa' Smurf!" he shouted, barely coherent through his tears, "V-Van'ty's hurt! P-Please help us!"

Papa looked up from his potions mixing and recoiled in shock. "Oh my smurfness!" he exclaimed, "Quickly, set him on this table."

Farmer gently laid his mate down on a cleared table, still sobbing and holding his hand tight. Papa quickly examined him, checking his vitals. "His heartbeat's very weak... He's lost a lot of blood... he's going to need a blood transmurfsion."

"O negative..."Farmer said hurriedly, "V-Van'ty's O negative."

Papa thought for a moment. "Hmm... a vey RARE blood type..." he muttered, then turned to Aiko and Brainy. "Aiko, Brainy, check though my medical records books, find somesmurf with O negative that can donate blood."

Aiko paused. "Gutsy? Isn't that YOUR blood type?"

"Yes," Gutsy nodded.

"Hmph," Brainy sniffed. "Papa said to check his records, Aiko."

"This saves precious time, Brainy."

Papa turned. "Would you two stop bickering-Aiko?"

"Hmm?"

Papa had just noticed his female apprentice's wounds. "What happened to you? Are you alright?"

She looked down. Aiko stared at her arms and hands. Her eyes widened as horrible memories filled her mind of her mother cutting her arms and legs in an attempt to kill her.

It was clear Aiko would not be of much help for awhile. Papa turned to Brainy. "Double-check Gutsy's blood type. If its the same as Vanity's, I'll take over and you can make Aiko a potion. No shortcuts. If it's not the same, search the records. Gutsy, you can help with that bit."

"Of course, Papa Smurf," Gutsy agreed quickly.

Meanwhile, Aiko had sunk to her knees and was mumbling quietly, her eyes still wide, shocked, and frightened.

Papa wanted to help her, but at the same time he was sure she'd agree Vanity needed attention first.

Papa was almost ready to go and console Aiko, but Chi thankfully stepped in. She sat next to Aiko and held her almost the way a mother would. "Shh... Shh... It's alright, bubbeleh... I'm right here... I won't let anysmurf hurt you..."She cooed softly, rocking and rubbing her shoulder gently.

Papa silently thanked Chisette, and returned to tending to Vanity's wounds. most of the scratches were not TOO deep, but there was one particular area on Vanity's lower back that particularly concerned him. he eased the broken smurf slightly on his side to examine them, and felt his heart sink as he realized the direness of the situation...

"This isn't good..." muttered Papa.

"Um, Papa Smurf? Gutsy's got Vanity's blood type."

"Good, good, start mixing the potion for Aiko. It'll take about half an hour, but I forbid you to use any shortcuts you might think of!"

Somewhere in the back of her head, Aiko could her all of this going on, but she didn't make any move to show she could comprehend the situation.

Gutsy stepped forward. "What' d'yeh need, Papa?"

"Sit here, Gutsy." Papa instructed, returning to his medical cabinet to gather supplies.

He wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Gutsy's arm and pumped it so it was good and tight. Then he gave the Scottish Smurf a ball to squeeze to keep blood circulating. He jiggled a needle into Gutsy's veins and taped it in place. "Farmer, see if you can clean some of the blood away," Papa said gently, "this should be ready in about twenty minutes."

Farmer took a wet rag and started cleaning Vanity's bloody face, guilt dominating his expression.

"Farmer," said Gutsy, turning to him, "yeh do know this is tha mangy cat's fault, not yers, don't yeh?"

He, unlike most Smurfs, was perfectly fine as Papa began to draw blood.

Just then Brainy leaned over. "Papa Smurf, if I were to double the nectar dosage, shouldn't the potion-"

"Brainy, I forbid you to take shortcuts," Papa cut him off.

"If yeh think I'll let yeh get away wit' it, yer sorely mistaken, smurf fer brains," Gutsy added, a snarl in his voice as he glanced protectively at his mate.

Farmer shook his head, his breath jagged. "N-no, shugah... I-it's MAI fault... If Ahd'a been there jus' a secon' sooner, he wouldn' a lost so much blood..." he said, cleaning the glass wounds on Vanity's arm, "Ah PROMISED him Ah'd protect'm... NOW look at m' Van'ty!" he felt his words melt into sobs and he shakily pressed his mate's hand to his cheek.

"Look, tha' stupid cat's the one who clawed him up. An' it was my fault he fell off the bookcase. But let's face it- blamin' ourselves isn't helpin' 'im any, is it? Vanity's stronger than he looks, he'll make it."

Farmer nodded slightly, still feeling incredibly guilty. No matter WHAT Gutsy said, it was ultimately his fault for not being able to save him sooner... In less than the time mentioned, Papa had drawn all the blood Vanity needed and used a separation spell to separate the plasma from the red blood cells. He hung the bag up near Vanity and hooked him up to it with a new needle. As he started tending to Vanity's lesser wounds, he looked over to Brainy. "How's the potion smurfing, Brainy?"

"It's almost ready. Though in my personal, professional opinion, adding more nectar-"

"Brainy, please tell me you did not try to take any shortcuts."

"No, Papa Smurf, I didn't."

"Good. It should be ready in five minutes."

Gutsy looked at Aiko, still curled in the corner, clutching at her hair.

"Why is she pink?" asked Papa, noticing this for the first time.

Chi suppressed a wide smile, still rocking Aiko and prying her hands from her hair, "Heh, heh... Brainy was messin' with her while she cast a digging spell... heh, heh..."

Papa chuckled a little bit, turning back around to wrap one of Vanity's wounds."Ah, that makes sense then."

His face became somber again. he looked to Chi and Gutsy, who appeared to be the calmest in the room at the time. "Chisette, Gutsy, I'd like to speak with you in private, please."

Brainy had finished the potion, and Gutsy recovered from his light- headedness, so they were now free. Papa led them upstairs, so they could talk in private. "I wasn't going to say this yet," Papa said, voice hushed, "But since you two are the most level-headed at the moment, I thought I ought to tell you first."

"Tell us what, Papa?" Chi asked, feeling a sinking feeling in her chest.

Papa looked at her straight in the eyes. "His lower vertebrae are broken," he said gravely, "and the cat scratch may have partially severed some of the nerves in his back... Vanity Smurf... _may be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his_ _life_. And that's saying he DOES survive this."

Gutsy was desperately searching for a solution. "What about that healing spell Aiko was learning from Homnibus? Could that help him?"

Papa shook his head. "No... magic would only do the nerves further damage. The only option is surgery, and risky surgery at that. If it's unsuccessful, there will be no way to reverse the paralysis."

Just then, they heard Aiko. "Brainy, why the _Smurf_ am I STILL pink?"

Brainy was spluttering indignately.

"Forget it, don't you DARE come near me."

"Well," said Gutsy quietly, "I'm sure he could have been much worse, right? It's probably lucky Aiko'd found a shortcut to Gargamel's, right?"

Papa nodded, a small, sad smile on his face. "Yes... Had you been another 15 minutes, he likely would've bled out right there."

As yells from Brainy and Aiko echoed up the stairs, Papa shook his head and chuckled slightly. "I suppose we ought to smurf them the news as well...Gutsy, would you mind talking to Farmer for me? I have the feeling he'd listen to you better."

"Of course, Papa," Gutsy murmured solemnly.

They walked slowly back down the stairs. Brainy's hat was smoking, tiny wisps of blue flame dancing around it.

Aiko turned to Gutsy, but he shook his head slightly. She nodded and turned to Papa who said, "Come on, Aiko, let's deal with those cuts and make you blue again."

Gutsy turned to Farmer. "Can I talk to yeh? In private?"

The farmhand nodded and stood shakily. Gutsy turned and led him upstairs, back to the room where he'd learned about Vanity's injury. "Sit," Gutsy offered, and Farmer did so, still saying nothing.

"Farmer," Gutsy sighed, "there's no easy way ta say this, so I'm just gonna spit it out. It looks like Vanity's lower back is broken. It also seems that Azrael's claws damaged some nerves. His only option is surgery, and it's risky. If it goes wrong, he'll be paralyzed." He paused, waiting for a reaction.

"Farmer?"

Farmer sat there, honestly dazed. it didn't seem REAL... _Vanity... could_ _be paralyzed..._ and he'd let it happen on his watch... Farmer brought his knees to his chest, and hid his face, his heart heavy in his chest. "I-it's my fault..." he murmured quietly, still processing the terrible news "Ah should'a been there sooner... I-it shoulda been me...Not Van'ty...Oh-oh God-" his voice caught in his chest.

Gutsy stood awkwardly next to Farmer, trying to console him.

_Darkness has a way of coercing one into their own destruction..._ he mused silently.

Farmer continued to blame himself, ignoring Gutsy's protests and claims of the former's innocence.

The creak of stairs and wood signaled someone's appearance. There was a light knock on the door, and it opened with a quiet creak. Chi stood in the doorway. "Farmer," she said, a tinge of relief in her voice, "Vanity's waking up..."

Farmer looked up and absentmindedly and, as if on autopilot, silently stood and hurried down the stairs to his lover's side. Chi walked with Gutsy down the stairs. "How'd he take it?"

Gutsy sighed. "Probably better than I would've taken it if Aiko were the one facing paralysis," Gutsy growled darkly. "When I smurf my hands on Gargamel and 'is flea-ridden cat-"

"I'll be saving you. Again." They looked up to see Aiko watching him. " Calm down, _Ravu_, he'll be fine. He's not gonna smurf outta here if I've got anything to say about it."

She turned and led them downstairs, her icy eyes watching Vanity as soon as he came in sight. The vain Smurf's eyes fluttered as Farmer sat next to him, clutching one scratched hand.

Aiko looked almost catlike in the corner as she watched Vanity behind her silver glasses.

Gutsy walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Forever and always," he muttered, and she smirked slightly.

"In my heart and soul." But then she seemed to remember Vanity's injuries and the smirk vanished. She immediately adopted the expression of a person who was standing at the deathbed of a very close friend. With a jolt, she realized... _she might be._

Farmer felt his heart flutter with relief as he watched Vanity's eyelids slowly start to open. "V-Van'ty...?" Farmer's voice was almost reduced to a half whisper, "Van'ty... If ya can hear me, PLEASE jus'... jus' say somethin...ANYTHIN'..."

"Ow," muttered the vain one, even though he had enough painkillers in him to sedate Aiko.

Farmer chuckled almost deliously in relief and tears slipped down his face as he kissed Vanity's scratched up hand again and again. "Tha'll do, shugah... Tha'll do..." he almost whispered.

Papa stepped forward, "Welcome back, my little smurf," he said, a small smile on his face, "you scared us."

Papa turned around and picked a reflex hammer from his medical bag. "Vanity," he said, a solemn look on his face as he approached the table again, near the VERY well sedated smurf's lower body, "I need to know, can you feel this?"

He used the handle of the hammer to swipe lightly over one of Vanity's revealed feet, and held his breath.

"Barely," Vanity mumbled. "Smurfit, what did you give me?"

Papa breathed a small sigh of relief. "Just a few painkillers, Vanity." he said, "How do you feel otherwise?"

"Stiff. I feel like Aiko cast that body-bind curse she used on Brainy on me."

A dreamy look fell over Aiko's features as she remembered. Brainy immobile; it'd been one of her best days.

Papa bit his lip slightly, searching for the right words to say. "I see... Vanity... I'm afraid I may have some VERY bad news..."

Farmer drew a jagged breath and squeezed Vanity's hand. He already knew what Papa was going to say. "There's no easy way to tell you this, my little Smurf..." Papa said sadly, "it appears that your lower back is broken, and some of the nerves are severely damaged... to repair them would require surgery, and if it's unsuccessful, you may be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of your life..." Papa waited for a response.

Vanity stared at him. Then, he laughed. "Well, this joke is in poor taste. Didn't anysmurf teach you it's not funny to make up things about sick people?"

There was a pause.

"WELL?" Aiko demanded.

When no one answered, she sighed. "Must I ALWAYS be the bad guy? Vanity. Shut up a minute."

She paced nervously, eyes darting about like a trapped animal's. She was cornered with no way out and she knew it. "Vanity, it's no lie. No joke. You need surgery."

Chi found herself staring at the floor, wringing her hands worriedly. Papa looked over to Aiko, wondering whether to thank her or scold her for her impeccable ability to be blunt. Farmer simply held Vanity's hand and shook his head. "They... they ain't jokin' shugah..." he said plainly.

"Heh...guess I smurfed myself into a pickle this time, eh, Farmer?"

Farmer bit his lip and gave Vanity's hand a squeeze, looking away slightly, still feeling guilty. "Y-yeah... A-Ah guess so, shugah..."

"Heh...coulda been worse, I guess..." Vanity mumbled.

Farmer nodded slightly, but couldn't bring himself to look at his lover. he just couldn't see him, knowing (or at least _believing_) it was his fault he was in this situation. "Yeah... Cou'da always been worse..."

Aiko turned to Papa. "That's a nasty cut above his right eye. I don't think it'll ever fully heal; it'll probably scar." She paused.

"Do _I_ have to be the bad guy again?"

Papa shook his head, "No, Aiko. I think Vanity's experienced enough of your 'tact' today," he said, rolling his eyes slightly, "it might just be best to tell him tomorrow while he's going under the anesthesia." he added with a dry chuckle.

"In my defense, I have never had tact, seeing as I was raised in a home without it. And I never exactly saw anyone else leaping up to tell him." Aiko sniffed disdainfully.

Papa sighed a little and patted his apprentice on the back "Aiko, sometimes words are silver, and silence is gold." a loud ringing in the villlage alerted them to suppertime. the others, minus Farmer and Vanity of course, started to walk out the door. "Sorry, Vanity... no food or water until after the surgery tomorrow." Papa said.

As they started walking away, Chi caught up with Gutsy and Aiko. "Hey, Guts, Aye-Aye. K'ain talk to you guys real quick?"

"Sure, but if that's my nickname, from this point on you shall be known as Chi-Chi," Aiko teased, flashing her friends toothy smile.

Chi smiled and rolled her eyes for a moment, but then sobered up her expression. "You guys notice something... I dunno, strange, about Farmer?" she asked, her voice slightly hushed, "Even with the circumstances, something just isn't sitting right with me..."

"He's scaring _me_, and I don't appreciate it," Aiko muttered. "You know, I say intervention. It's obvious he's blaming himself; things are gonna get real bad real fast. Mark my words."

"Intervention is easier said than smurfed, Ai-chan..." Chi admitted gloomily, "The fact of the matter is nothing we say or do is likely to prove to Farmer he isn't at fault... and you're right, things ARE going to get worse. Maybe even...-" she rubbed her wrists out of nervous habit and looked away, but quickly brought herself back."There is no person so severely punished, as those who subject themselves to the whip of their own remorse.'"

The ice eyes widened behind their silver glasses. Unconsciously, one hand moved to rub at the shoulder of the opposite arm, scars just barely concealed. "You don't think...?"

"I _DO_ think..." Chi muttered, glancing at Farmer and Vanity through the window, "I think things could get much, MUCH worse. Maybe not tomorrow... maybe not in another month or two... but they could... and if we're not mindful of it..." Chi bit her lip and looked at the ground, unsure of what to say, "I don't even want to think about it..."

She looked back up at her friend. "It's too soon to know for certain if he IS on that path... for all we know, we could be getting all smurfed up over nothing. I could'a just completely jumped the gun, and Farmer'll be back to normal, or something resembling normal, in a few months to a year. But I wanted to be sure I wasn't the only one with that in the back of my head, and I'm not just being oversensitive."

"I hate this. I really, really hate this. D'you know what Vanity's gonna do when he finds out about his eye? And we aren't even going to tell him until he's so doped up with drugs he can't see straight? Brilliant plan right there, guess which one of us he's gonna chew out when he wakes up tomorrow." Aiko snarled darkly.

Chi chuckled slightly, nodding and biting her lip. "Yeah... he's really gonna flip out, huh...?" she muttered, "but, large amounts of morphine seem to soften bad news. Chances are, he'll vaguely even remember it. I had an appendectomy when I was a human, they told me I'd have to stay longer while I was going under, I just kinda smiled and was like," she made a face resembling a stoner, "heh... ohhhkaay..."

Chi shrugged a little, "If it makes ya feel better, I can tell him. Then he'll just chew me out, assuming he remembers it."

"Naw, I'll do it. I'm used to being associated with bad news. Why break the perfect record now? And I know what you mean, I had my canines pulled when I was littler. Sooo loopy afterwards," she laughed. "I remember my brother asking me how I felt and I told him, 'ya know, Katana, pink would suit you. It'd bring out your eyes.' He wouldn't talk to me afterwards." Aiko smiled at the memory, which seemed ancient.

_End of Chapter One: Friendship and Felines_

Chi: Well, that's the end of Chapter One.

Aiko: I wanna read reviews.

Chi: Aiko, they gotta review before you can read what they have to say.

Aiko: *snaps fingers* Oh, right. PLEASE REVIEW! Motivates YinYang to keep going.

Chi: In case you're wondering what she means by that, Smurfy and YinYang finished the RP.

Aiko: HA! We know what happens and you don't!

Chi: Be nice, you_ meshuganah kalba***_! So, yes, the sooner you review, the sooner YinYang will edit and post Chapter Two.

Aiko: So review! Do it! DO IT NOW.

Chi: *rolls eyes* Seriously, Ai-chan…

Both: Bye-bye!

TRANSLATIONS:

Ravu: Love (Japanese)

*He should burn up (Yiddish)

**Fool, jackass (Yiddish)

***Crazy bitch (Yiddish)


	2. Love and Loss

Chi: Hey everysmurf! We are back!

Aiko: Chi! Can't we do this later? PLEASE?

Chi: Wha-?! No! Why?!

Aiko: I was gonna go set Brainy's house on fire! *holds up box of matches and some gasoline*

Chi: Dammit, you _meshuganah kalba_! Get in your insanity room! Get!

Aiko: Okay, okay, fine, I won't do it! *Blue fire pops up at shoulder* _Yet._

Chi: Don't think I don't see that. Now, we're gonna answer Spring-Heel-Jacq's review, and-

Aiko: Do I have to be here for this?

Chi: YES, AIKO, NOW PARK IT!

Aiko: Fine.

Chi: Anywho, Spring, Smurfy already sent you Chisette's, that is to say, my, description. If you misplaced it, feel free to message her about it.

Aiko: YinYang and I do not feel comfortable letting anyone else write about me. Except, maybe, occasionally Chi.

Chi: Well, let's hurry this up! I want this story finished fast- this baby is going to be the death of me!

Aiko: And just for that, I love the Little Smurfer. ONWARD WITH THE STORY.

* * *

_Perfection_

* * *

Chapter Two

Love and Loss

* * *

The night had passed without serious incident. Although still guilty and angry at himself, Farmer remained by Vanity's side throughout the night. soon enough, morning came. Papa Smurf walked down the stairs to his lab, finding Farmer still at his post from the night before, but slumped over and fast asleep. He shook the darker-skinned Smurf gently. "Farmer... Farmer, wake up..." he said softly.  
Farmer woke up, slowly at first, then gently shook Vanity's shoulders. "It's nearly time for the surgery, my little Smurfs."

"Well," said Vanity in a shaky voice, "I'm terrified."

There was a knock at the door. Aiko, Brainy, and Chi entered.  
"Ready to h-h-h-help, Papa Smurf," yawned Aiko.

Vanity gave the blond one look then said firmly, "And the level of terror just increased."

Aiko shot him a look. "I'm gonna cut you some slack given your situation, but don't think for a second I'm gonna forgive you if you mention it."  
Somehow, her course manner lifted Vanity's spirits slightly. Whereas most Smurfs now treated him with hushed whispers and more words of kindness than he necessarily needed, Aiko acting as though he was merely scraped and bruised helped greatly. She wasn't acting like he had the plague.

Farmer gave Vanity's hand a squeeze. "It'll be alright, shugah," he said, giving him a small smile. "Ah PROMISE."

Chi walked to the other side of Vanity and hugged him gently, careful not to hurt him. "It'll be alright, Bubbee. You'll see." she said, then almost yelped in surprise at a fluttery feeling in her belly. "eep! I guess someone wants to say hi to uncle Vanity." Chi cooed, then took his hand and put it where it was the strongest.

And in the meantime, Papa, Aiko, and Brainy were preparing the anesthesia.

"That's amazing," Vanity breathed, feeling Chi's baby fluttering at his palm.

"Brainy," hissed Aiko, furious, "I'm doing everything right! Keep your fat nose out of my buisness and let me do my work! If you do this during the surgery, you'll be so busy watching me you won't do your part!"

"Sorry for trying to make sure you're not gonna snuff him," Brainy shot back.

"Me? Snuff him? Take that back or I'll shove those words down your miserable throat!" Snarled the female apprentice venomusly.

Chi heard the exchanges between the two apprentices, but tried to tune them out. Aiko and Brainy are both pretty good on their own... but get them within shouting distance and it would go over about as well as a turd in a punch bowl. She tried to remain unflinching, smiling a little at her best friend, "heh... I guess he's eager t' meet ya, bubbee." she said.

Papa smurf was already low on patience this morning. before the argument could progress any further, he put down his potions ingredients and took the both of them aside, "Listen, you two,"he said firmly, his voice slightly hushed, "this surgery is INCREDIBLY dangerous. Vanity's _LIFE_ could be at stake if we're not careful. Now, if you don't stop arguing and cooperate for _ONCE_, for just a few hours," he turned to Brainy, who looked thouroughly humbled by his master's scolding, "I will smurf a cone of silence over _you_," he turned to a smugly grinning Aiko, "And a sweet-and-pleasant spell over _YOU_, missy!"  
He paused for a moment to let it sink in. "Now do I smurf myself CLEAR?"

"Yes, Papa, very," Aiko murmured somberly. Little did he know what she had in mind. When his back was turned to her once more, she smirked slightly and waved her right hand. Gold sparks simmered in the air and fell around her. She opened her mouth as if to scream, but no sound came out. SMiling in relief, She allowed a ball of blue fire, the kind she used for storytelling, appear at her left shoulder.

"Aiko," murmured Brainy in the politest tone, can you smurf me the syringe?"

Without a word, the bespectacled female passed over the item in question. At first, her silence went unnoticed by her fellow apprentice and mentor. But then-

"Aiko," asked Brainy, "does this look like the correct amount to you?"  
She glanced at the syringe and shook her head.

"Well," said Brainy impatiently, "would you mind advising me on the proper portion?"

The ball of magical fire showed a syringe filled with a bit more liquid then the one Brainy held.

"Aiko," asked Papa, "would you mind speaking?"

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

She pointed one claw-like nail to her throat before returning her attention to her work.

"What did you do, Aiko?"

A full color image of the blond waving shimmering gold over herself appeared in the fire, whose edges were tinted with blue.

"A...24 Hour Silence Spell?" asked her mentor.

The female apprentice smirked again.

Then, she nodded.

The fluttering in Chi's belly soon ebbed away, and Vanity retracted his hand. Chi glanced over at Brainy, Aiko and Papa, then bit her lip a little. "I think they're almost ready, bubbee," she said, trying to sound optimistic, and be the reassuring sarcasm in the room since Aiko's voice was out of commission. "Be alright, okay? My baby can't grow up without his godfather."

"Godfather?" asked Vanity, completely taken aback by this news. "Me? Not to be a downer, but if this isn't completely smurfy, what kind of godfather would I be?"

Chi shrugged a little. "Bubbee, you'd be an excellent godfather even if the surgery doesn't go off without a hitch." she knocked on the nightstand next to her as not to jynx the situation,"you're undoubtedly one of the smurfiest friends I have, and I know you will be an outstanding godfather no matter WHAT happens."

With Papa and his apprentices, the potion was nearly complete. "Aiko, would you please start an IV drip?" Papa asked, "This is going to take awhile... we can't let him get dehydrated."

Aiko gave him one quick, sharp nod then turned on her heel to begin the IV.

"Thanks, Chi. You're a smurfy friend," Vanity murmured.

Aiko glanced back at him, a look of hurt horror on her features.

"Haha...you too, Aiko..."

She beamed at him and continued with her work.

Brainy turned to Papa. "So...I don't have to listen to her talk...for 24 hours?"

"Brainy, I don't think you understand. These spells are dangerous-Aiko knows that. She could permantely damage her vocal cords because of this."

Aiko looked over to Vanity, and another thought occuered to her.

_No, Aiko. I think Vanity's experienced enough of your 'tact' today_

_Sweet and Pleasent Spell..._

_Only Vanity or Gutsy,_ Aiko thought. _And I'm gonna hate this, but-_

There was a flash of pink and shimmering purple sparkles.

Then a sympathetic expression grew across Aiko's face...

Papa's eyes widened slightly at Aiko's expression. "Well I'll be smurfed..." he muttered. "Aiko cast a sweet and pleasant spell on herself!"

Once Aiko had finished hooking Vanity up to an IV, Chi elbowed her slightly and smiled. "good thinkin' bubbeleh." she half whispered, "I think all of us need an Aiko smile right about now."

From accross the lab, Papa held up a half-full syringe barrel. "There. The anesthesia's ready. Brainy, Aiko, help Farmer put Vanity on the table."

Aiko smiled pleasently (Brainy flinched, the next part was usually him getting smurfed through the roof), and turned to help her fellow apprentice with her vain friend.

When he was on the table, Papa began preparing to put Vanity under.

Aiko poked his shoulder to get his attention.

"Mm?" Vanity asked.

The fire flashed words: _I need to tell you something you won't like. _

"Now?"

_You need to know. _

"Alright, what is it?"

The fire flashed a picture. Vanity was older, completely healed.

"You mean I'll be cured?"

Papa turned around sharply. _Nosmurf can make such promises. Keep watching, my friend. _

The image returned. Then Vanity shifted so the other side of his face was visible. A long, ugly red scar ran down the length of his face, down across his eye.

"You mean...?"

_I'm sorry, _she flashed, real tears in her eyes. _But you needed to now. _

He paused. "Thank you, Aiko," Vanity murmured. "Somehow I didn't think I'd get out of this without some scars."

Farmer felt his heart sink hearing Vanity dismiss the scar as not that big of a deal. Had it been any other day, his mate would be in tears, bawling, murmuring about how his face was ruined, if it were really bad, he'd probably even walk around with a bag over his face. Now... he just seemed like he didn't care... But Farmer did. It'd be an eternal reminder that he failed to protect Vanity. And he was again looking heavy-hearted and guilty. Papa took the syringe barrel and screwed it into a notch in Vanity's IV. "Alright... Here comes the anesthesia, my little smurf." he said, slowly pushing the plunger on the syringe so its contents went slowly down the tube and through the battered smurf's veins...

Vanity's eyelids fluttered as the medicine began to take effect.

"Go to your happy place, my little smurf," Papa murmured.

In a matter of moments, he was under.

Aiko turned. She walked to the door. To everysmurf's surprise, when she opened it to reveal Gutsy.

"Gutsy," muttered Papa, "I don't mean to be rude, but now's not a good time."

"Aiko asked me to smurf Farmer outta yer way last night," Gutsy explained. "She was pretty sure he wouldn't want ta...see...it."

"Ah..." Papa said softly, " I understand... Farmer...?"

Farmer had been standing at Vanity's side, holding his hand. he looked up blankly. "go on, Farmer... This isn't something you'll want to see..." Papa said softly.

Farmer cast one more look at his lover and kissed him on the forehead. "_Ah'm sorry, Van'ty..._" he whispered, ducking his head and quickly walking out of the open door, passing Gutsy without a second guilt- filled glance.

Gutsy glanced at Aiko. "See ya soon," he murmured, kissing her forehead. _Love you. Try and keep him from worrying too much. _

After Gutsy had left, Aiko turned back to the others.

"Well," sighed Papa, "Let's get this done."

* * *

A half an hour molded into an hour. An hour, into two. Two to four. Four to eight. It was well into the ninth hour where Farmer was only getting more and more agitated, watching the door from his house, only half- paying attention to Gutsy's condolences. "They sure are takin' a lon' time..." he murmured.

"They're just trying to be as thorough as possible," Gutsy murmured quietly. "Please stop worrying. Vanity will be fine."

Farmer could tell Gutsy was gtting somewhat annoyed with his worrying, so he just closed his mouth and waited for somesmurf to bring him good news. before the end of the ninth hour, there was a knock on the door. Farmer shot up to answer it. It was Chi, with Brainy close behind. "Bubbeleh..." Chi said, all seriousness in her face, "sit..."

Farmer did, confused at her seriousness. "Vanity's going to live," Chi said, "but... The surgery couldn't repair all of the nerves..."

The farmhand smurf looked as though someone had just been smurfed by a ton of bricks. "Wha... Wha're ya sayin', shug...?"

"I'm saying," Chi said, looking at him straight in the eyes, "That Vanity is paraplegic. he's paralyzed from the waist down."

She waited for a response from Gutsy as well.

Gutsy watched Farmer apprehensively. When he said nothing, the Scotsman Smurf tried to stay slightly positive.

"Now, Farmer, ya know 'e's gonna be okay. 'E'll be fine, 'e'll just need a little more 'elp occasionally wit' certain things." Gutsy murmured.

Chi nodded. "And Papa injected something into parts of his lower back... the bones themselves should be knit by week's end." she put a hand on his shoulder.

Farmer slumped forward and hid his face with his hands couldn't find the words to express the thoughts in his head. Vanity would never walk again... and this was all because of him... he FAILED Vanity as a smurffriend... "J-jus' smurf up..." he murmured.

he shakily rose and pushed past Chi, making his way to Papa's lab. Chisette sighed slightly and followed him from a few yards behind, Gutsy next to her.

"I've got a bad feeling about him, bubbeleh..." she murmered, resting her head against his shoulder in a platonic manner, "a REALLY bad feeling..."

"Aye, me too," Gutsy nodded, his voice gruff.

They saw Aiko suddenly burst out of Papa's mushroom. She sad and furious all at the same time. The icy blue fire at her shoulder was no longer a calm, slightly flaming ball. Now it was a huge, raging inferno, swirling with angry energy. Whereas usually her fire was quiet, calm, and practically unnoticeable, now it was obvious, filled with fury, and crackling.

"That's strange, usually her fire stays quiet," Gutsy muttered.  
_I'M INSANE! SMURFING INSANE!_

Chi took notice of Aiko's distress and hurried to her, putting a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her. "Aiko, calm the smurf down!" Chi said, "What happened? What's going on in there?"

_HE HIT ME! THAT SONUVASMURF HIT ME! _

"What?!" growled Gutsy, furious. "Who? Why?" For the first time, they noticed a red mark on her cheek.

_I told him I was sorry we didn't fix Vanity's spine, and he slapped me! Ya know what, I refuse to speak to him. _

Gutsy growled softly.

_Don't you dare do anything to him, _Aiko snarled. The fiery inferno died down slightly. _It's just nice that you care, my love._

Farmer cautiously entered the room where Vanity was bedridden, preparing himself for whatever he'd find...

Chi sighed and facepalmed. she knew Vanity. he'd go into a total hissy fit if someone put blueberries instead of strawberries in his morning oatmeal. There were days that if chi didn't know any better she'd assume he was like- getting a visit from uncle TOM and Aunt Flo. with news like this, she honestly wasn't too surprised he'd reacted the way he did. she sighed. "smurfit, Vanny... Don't feel too angry, Aiko... It's just one of the stages of grief... " She muttered with a shake of her head. "Given the circumstances, i think he's allowed to be a bit of a _chaleria*_, at least for now."

Aiko looked at her sharply. _Whadda ya mean, Vanity? FARMER hit me, _Aiko flashed, looking confused.

"That's it, I'm gonna hit 'im," Gutsy snarled.  
Eyes closed, Aiko grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. _NO. _

Chi was SUFFICIENTLY taken aback. Farmer'd never lay a HAND on a woman in such a way! "smurfit..." she growled, "I don't care IF he's going through the 'five stages of grief' I'm gonna smack that sonofasmurf upside the head!"

"Aye," snarled Gutsy, "me, too! And if he ever touches her again, I'll kill 'im!"

Aiko facepalmed. _He's like your brother, Gutsy, don't do anything you'll regret. _

"Yer me mate, Aiko, and honestly, I love yeh more than life itself."

Meanwhile, Farmer seemed to have calmed down from his outburst, and sat next to the still-anestisized Vanity, who was tied to the bed in four-point restraints to make sure he didn't struggle too much when he woke up. he took his hand and waited for him to wake up...

Vanity yawned. "Mmm. Hi." He smiled.

He moved his fingers until they touched Farmer's.

Chi stormed into the house, but stopped when she saw Vanity had woken up. "I'll chew him out later..." she muttered, turning away and sitting outside.  
Farmer almost shrank back at Vanity's touch, and his loopy, still slightly drugged smile. It hurt Farmer knowing_ his mate would never walk again..._ "Hi, shugah..." Farmer said, plastering on a small fake smile and taking Vanity's fingers in his. "How d'ya feel?"

"Mm...like Hell, how did YOU feel after YOUR surgery?"

Farmer noddded a little, "Like hell," he admitted.

"Where is 'e?" growled Gutsy. "I'm gonna beat 'is smurfin' head in!"

Chi stopped Gutsy before he barreled right into the room. "Calm down, bubbee. we'll get him later. Vanity just woke up, and noone's smurfed him the news yet..."

As if on cue, Papa entered the room Vanity was in. "Ah, good morning sleepysmurf." Papa smiled very slightly, if at all, "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell," Vanity repeated.

"Fine." Gutsy growled, leaning against the mushroom. Aiko was sitting against it, and lowly he slid down the wall to sit with her.

The draining surgery had left Aiko dying for sleep, and so, using Gutsy's shoulder as a pillow, she promptly went off to her Dream World.

Papa smirked slightly and nodded, muttering under his breath. Farmer could tell he was procrastinating telling Vanity. but he couldn't call him out on it. Papa got closer to the bed and looked Vanity straight in the eyes. "Vanity... There's no easy way to say this..." he said, calmly a sad look in his eyes, "but the operation... didn't work..."

Vanity cursed quietly, then the swears became louder and louder until Aiko sat up, jerked awake by Vanity's voice.

"Just a hunch," Gutsy said gravely, holding Aiko, who was shivering, with her hair sticking out in all directions. "But I think 'e mighta just found out."

Chi rolled her eyes slightly and let her stress cynicism kick in. "Jeez, ya think?" she muttered, "what gave ya that idea, Sherlock?"

Farmer gave Vanity's hand a hard squeeze and put an arm around him, trying his best to comfort the- angry? Confused? Sad?- Smurf. This was his fault. because HE couldn't save Vanity before, now his lover had to pay the price... Farmer cursed himself internally. Papa sat on the edge of the bed and patted Vanity's free hand. "Now, now, Vanity... All hope isn't smurfed..." he said, trying to be optimistic, "I've already talked to Handy, he's already started on inventions and such that'll help you retain your independance... We'll ALL make it work..."

"Oh, joy, I get to walk, pardon me, RIDE, around in some mobile chair like a complete moron. No thank you."

Gutsy smirked at Chi's cool manner. "I don't know, maybe that?"  
Papa smurf shrank back a little, unsure what to say in response. Farmer, however had one that noone expected him to say. "Shugah, it's better than nothin'." he said, irritably, "Wouldja' rather y'were COMPLETELY paralyzed?"

Chi snickered at Gutsy, but then cocked her head in surprise at Farmer's comment. then she facepalmed and tilted her head back "Oy vey... And SO it begins..."

"Maybe I should be dead."

Aiko snarled, and the fire crackled. _So we can be grieveing rather than helping him? Ya know what, I don't like this self-pity or self-loathing bit or whatever it is. _

_The room was quiet for a moment, letting Vanity's words hang in the air. Farmer felt his heart cracking, even though he still felt inexplicably angry._

"Vanity,-"Papa started gently, but was cut off by the still-irritable Farmer.

"Don' be stupid, Van'ty... it ain't b'comin' of you." he grumbled, "Bein' dead wouldn' solve anythin, for anyone... An' you KNOW it."

outside the door, Chi sighed and shook her head. "There's nothing we can say that would help them get through this any faster." Chi said matter-of- factly, "As much as we won't like it, anger is part of the healing process... they have to figure out the coping part of it for themselves..." her hand wandered to her scarred wrist, "and keep an eye on both of 'em through the process, intervening when necessary."

"Oh, right. Just leave me alone."

Aiko nodded her head. _He needs time_.

Gutsy nodded.

There was a pause. _You don't think...that...the bit of the vision I showed him to explain...about his eye...made him think he'd heal? Even though I told him not to go by it at all?_

Farmer heaved a heavy sigh and let go of Vanity's hand. There he goes, making him miserable again... what a failure he was... He didn't deserve somesmurf like Vanity... "Ah'm sorry, Van'ty..." he murmured, averting his eyes so he wouldn't see that mark on his lover's face, "Ah'll come by later..."

Chi thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, Aiko. I don't think it's anyone's fault he's so disappointed and resentful right now... There really wasn't a better way to tell him, and sound sympathetic." she rested her head on her knee. "Maybe it did get his hopes up too high, maybe it didn't. the point is it's happened, there's nothing we can do differently now." She muttered the Serenity Prayer under her breath as Farmer walked out the door slowly.

Aiko took one look at Farmer, then gave a catlike hiss and shrank behind Gutsy. Her ice eyes glared at the farmhand, and the fire became an inferno.

Meanwhile, Vanity was feeling bad about making Farmer leave. He decided he would apologize when his mate returned.

Chi noticed Farmer, and almost immediately used the lower half of her arm to slam him up against the wall forcefully. the surprised farmhand didn't even show it on his sad face. "You gotta LOTTA grapes, Farmer," Chi growled, "I don't care HOW angry you are, You lay a hand on Aiko, or smurfette, or me, or ANY woman and I will personally kick your sorry toches so bad you'll be eating through a tube!"

Farmer flinched slightly, but his face remained unchanged he shimmied out of Chi's forceful grasp, and slowly walked to Aiko and Gutsy. "Aiko... Ah'm so sorry... Ah... Ah dunno wha' came over me..." he said softly, "Ah know you tried your best, an' it ain't your fault... Thank you for tryin' at least..."

He didn't even try to make eye contact with Gutsy. "Ah prolly d'serve wha's comin... smurf me a good one, shugah."

Gutsy smacked Farmer across the face. "Touch her again and I'll do somethin worse, got it? No smurf can fix everything, just cause she's got some smurfin amazing power doesn't mean she's a miracle worker."

Aiko was not looking at Farmer; rather, she was busy silently screaming in fury while sayings like 'speak of the devil and he shall appear' raced through the roiling fire.

Farmer staggered slightly from Gutsy's smack, my didn't put a hand to his cheek to try and minimize the pain. he desrvd every single stinging needle sensation. both for hitting Aiko, and for what happened to Vanity. If he didn't know any better, he actually would've encouraged him to hit more. he deserved it. "Ah know..." he said simply, "Ah- Ah donno wha' came over me... Ah jus flipped out... An' Ah'm sorry..."

he picked his eyes up slightly. "Ah'm going home..." he said plainly, then added with a mutter as he was walking away, "Smurf, I need a drink..."

"That's no good, Farmer. I wouldn't hit Aiko if I lost it, yeh wouldn't hit Vanity, would yeh?" Gutsy snarled. "Yeh go get yer drink. Touch my mate again and yeh'll wish ye hadn't.

"Y' don' think I wish Ah didn' already?" He asked simply, then hugged his arms and made a hasty retreat.

Chi watched him leave, still mad, but at the same time almost pitying him. she shook her head and walked inside to go visit with Vanity."Hey, Vanny..." She said, trying to be positive but not knowing what to say, "Heard what happened... I'm... I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault," Vanity spat bitterly. Aiko had followed Chi inside with Gutsy at her heels, and now the bespectacled female shrugged as brought Vanity's blaming her didn't bother her. However, an angry snarl rose in her throat.

Chi noticed the glare shared between the two of them and shook her head slightly. "no, it isn't. and it isn't AIKO's fault, or despite what he seems to think, Farmer's either." she said, then sighed, "we'll help you through this... ok? just let us..."

"Smurf up and go away," Vanity snarled. "I don't want you here."

"Quit actin like a kicked puppy," Gutsy berated.

"Make me, you Scottish windbag!"

It took all Gutsy's self control not to throttle Vanity then and there.

Chi put hands in between the two, as if to keep them away from each other , "NOBODY's makin' ANYBODY do ANYTHING!" she said firmly, trying to be the level head in the room, "smurfit, the testosterone in the room's so thick y'could smurf it with a knife..." she muttered under her breath.

She turned to Gutsy, "Guts, calm down a minute. arguing is only making things worse."

She turned to Vanity, "Bubbee, I KNOW you're angry right now, and you have every right to be. but don't bite the hand that feeds you. All we're tryin' to do is help." she took a moment to calm herself down before her sharp tongue proved to be a downfall, "You have every right, rhyme and reason to be angry... but 'unfortunately' for you, I AIN'T goin' anywhere anytime soon. You're my best friend, and I'm not gonna let you destroy yourself with this."

"Too late," spat Vanity. "I can't walk, my face is ruined, what next? Just go away, I don't want to see you again."

Aiko's flames rose up indignately.

Chi was REALLY starting to loose her patience with his little pity party. SURE, he was kinda justified, but it was just getting TOO "oh poor me". She tried looking for a good retort, and once she did, a wide smile spread over her face. "Vanity," She said, then sat down on the bed next to him. "All hope really ISN'T lost... this'll sound stupid coming from me, but you're half paralyzed, not dead. remember that thing you and Farmer were talking to Papa about the other day... Y'member... that thing that needed _Blue clay...?_"

She let that sit in the room for a minute. "If you won't cope for me, or Farmer, or Aiko, or Papa, do it for that little _project_..." Chi pleaded, her voice reduced to a half whisper. "Please..."

She planted a kiss on his forehead, and started to walk away, "And it doesn't really matter whether or not you wanna see me, me, Hefty, and Aiko are your physical thearapists starting in three days. You're LITERALLY stuck with me. And I already KNOW Hefty probably isn't gonna tolerate too much of this little pity party you've got going on now..."

_I'm not so sure I want to help those two, _Aiko's fire flared angrily. _One of them blames me for his paralysis and the other hits me? No thank you. If he wants my help he'll have to quit the self-pity act. _

Without waiting for a response, she turned tail and marched off, out the door to hers and Gutrsy's mushroom.

Vanity sighed. "Fine. Now go away, I'm tired."

Chi sighed and facepalmed slightly. "What am I gonna do with her," she muttered, "Oh well... I'll deal with her later... get some rest, bubbee... It's been a long day..."

She left, and went to the house she shared with Hefty to rest. Meanwhile, Farmer had been trying to seek solace at the bottom of a bottle, unsucessfully. he felt numb, yet at the same time still full of grief beyond recognition... his lover would never walk again... and it was his fault... he should've been there... He should've taken his place... having finished off an already half-empty bottle of "Smurfern Comfort", he stood and stumbled to Papa's mushroom, where Vanity had just gotten a dose of morphine to dull the pain from the surgery. he stumbled in and plopped down in a chair next to Vanity. "Hai, shu- shugah..." he said, a distinct slur in his voice.

Vanity's stomach churned; he already felt sick fromhis lack of food, but now, it was like Farmer was trying to make him physically ill.

"Good God, Farmer," moaned Vanity as his stomach turned, "What in the name of smurf did you drink?"

Farmer shook his head a little and blinked, slightly dazed. "Jus... Jus' a lil' Smurfern Comfort, Van'ty."he slurred, and tried to snuggle up to Vanity, "Not a big deal..."

"Farmer! God! I think I'm gonna be sick! Get away from me!"

Vanity tried to wriggle away from the drunkard. "God, don't lie to me, you had way more than a little Smurfern Comfort!"

Farmer didn't listen. he still felt guilty with the whole situation with Vanity's legs, and stuff, he wanted to let Vanity know he still loved him. Farmer kept trying to snuggle up to Vanity. "Naaw... jus'-hic- jus' a little, shugah." Farmer muttered, still trying to cuddle up to him "Mmm, Ah love you, Van'ty..."

"Farmer, if you really love me, do me a favor and save my love for wine. PLEASE move away a bit." Vanity begged, He could feel the tickling in his throat that meant he was going to vomit.

Farmer gave it a rest, resting his head on Vanity's chest. "aw, Van'ty... Ah'm so sorry... so... sorry...so... so..."Farmer was already drifting off to sleep.

"I know, I know...Good God, Papa, help me!" Vanity begged. Farmer was not helping the need to vomit by lying on Vanity's chest.

Papa heard Vanity's pleas, and entered the room Vanity was in. he saw Farmer just about passed out on Vanity's chest, and shook his head slightly. "Oh, Farmer..." he muttered, then tried to ease him up."Come along, my little smurf..."

Farmer didn't fight Papa. "M... my... my fa... my fal..." He murmured, barely coherently.

"Thank you," moaned Vanity. "If you don't mind, I'm just going to be sick now..."

Papa smurf shook his head slightly, and gave Vanity a bucket and a pat on the forehead. "It's just a side effect from the painkillers... they ought to subside in the morning..."

"It's a side effect of the goddamned wine," Vanity muttered before vomiting into the bucket Papa had provided. "I'll never drink again."

Papa gently patted Vanity on the back. "Moderation, Vanity. There's such a thing as moderation." he said, offering the sick smurf a hankie to wipe his face.

"I'm smashing every accursed bottle the second I get home," Vanity snapped, before being violently sick again. "He's not drinking anymore, either."

Papa smurf sighed a little. "Vanity, there's really nothing you CAN do... you can't control what Farmer does... and trying to isn't the answer..."

"I'm sick. I feel like I'm gonna die, my stomach's flipping around so much. Can I please fantasize in peace? Without technicalities that would ruin the whole thing?"

Papa tried not to smile or chuckle, and patted Vanity on the back lightly, "yes, of course, my little smurf." he checked the clock in the corner, "It's getting late... try and get some sleep, these side effects should subside by the morning."

"Oh, goody." Vanity yawned. Being sick really smurfs your energy. "Night."

"Good night, my little Smurf," murmured Papa softly.

The next morning, Farmer was feeling VERY hung- over, but knew he ought to apologize for last night. He offered to take Vanity soup Greedy made (just in case his tummy was still upset from the medicine), and went to Papa's lab. he went in the room Vanity was in, but still found it hard to look at him in his condition. he averted his eyes to the ground instead. "Hi, shugah..." he said.

Vanity was feeling annoyed with Farmer's 'no eye-contact' policy. "Whenever you want to stop doing that, it would be fine with me," he said sourly.

Farmer put the soup down on the nightstand next to Vanity. "Stop doin' wha?" he asked. "Ah ain't done nothin."

"LOOK AT ME ALREADY," Vanity snarled fiercely. "THIS IS WHAT I AM NOW, ALRIGHT? I'LL LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT, SO YOU WILL, TOO."

Farmer cringed from Vanity's anger, but still found it too hard to look at him, knowing(or believing) it was his fault he was here... "Van'ty, don' YELL at me..." he said, rubbing his head, "M' head's already killin' me."

"I'LL STOP YELLING WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME," Vanity roared. "ARE YOU TOO GOOD FOR ME NOW? TOO GOOD FOR POOR CRIPPLED VANITY? POOR SCARRED VANITY? I NEVER THOUGHT I WAS TOO GOOD FOR YOU AFTER THE TRACTOR, DID I?!"

"_This Aint about who's too good for who, Van'ty!_" Farmer finally yelled back, "_This ain't about you, or yo' scar, or NOTHIN! NOT EVERYTHIN'S about YOU!_"

aggravated, Farmer kicked the wall a little, then covered his face with his hands. "SMURFIT I need a drink..." he muttered, barely coherently.

"GET OUT!" roared Vanity. "UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO _LOOK _AT ME, I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME BACK!"

"_FINE!_" Farmer yelled in return, "_AH DUN WANNA BE 'ROUND YOU WHEN YOU'RE BEIN' A BITCHY LIL' CRIPPLE ANYWAYS!_" Farmer stormed out the door and slammed it shut behind him, making the whole house shake.

He stormed to his house to go get some "Hair of the dog". he passed Chi, who tried to talk to him, but instead got nothing. "smurfit," she muttered, "Why do I have a feeling this has something to do with Vanity...?" she walked the short distance to Papa smurf's lab. she knocked on the door of Vanity's room lightly. "Bubbee...? You alright...?" she asked gently, almost afraid of what she'd find.

"He won't look at me..." Vanity whimpered. "Why won't he look at me, Chi? What's chaged on the inside? I'm no different than I was before on the inside, am I?"

Chi sat down with Vanity on the edge of the bedand wrapped him in a comforting embrace, just as he'd done for her whenever she needed someone to lean on, "No, bubbee... you're no different on the inside than you ever were... It's FARMER who's different, bubbeleh... he's GUILTY... he's SO guilty... he takes full responsibility for what happened, Vanity."

"It's not his fault...where's everyone else? Gutsy, Aiko?" Vanity didnt want to think about Farmer when he was being a hungover drunkard bastard.

Chi noticed how quickly he changed the subject, but took no notice of it. "Uh... hmm... I think Aiko mentioned something about going into the forest... Her and Gutsy on a date, I think... How's your back feeling today? any better?"

"Fine, fine...so, did those spells wear off? The Sweet and Pleasent and the 24 Hour Silence Spell?" Vanity asked. He had no desire whatsoever to discuss his injuries.

Chi nodded. "Yeah... Aiko's back to her loud, 'tactful' self..." She started trailing off, but a really, REALLY big flutter in her belly brought her back. "Yikes! there he goes again! I swear, he's gonna be RUNNING right out'a there, I won't have to do anything! heheh."

Vanity smiled at Chi. "Ah well, that's Aiko for you. I think she's really affectionate, she just wasn't taught how to show it. But apparently Gutsy's fixing that." he paused, glancing at her stomach. "That kid's gonna have a lot of wacky relatives, he's gonna need some speed and power. Or Aiko's gonna hole him up in a tree when he annoys her."

Chi smiled a little and chuckled. "yeah... as much as she hates to admit it, underneath that thick shell, she's got a heart of gold..." Chi mulled it over, remembering he still felt a bit bitter towards Aiko. She put a hand on her swelled belly. "Yeah... at least there's no in-laws to deal with...heh... so long as Aiko doesn't toss'm up, then let'm fall down, I think it ain't that bad of an idea..."

She bit her lip for a moment. "She really DID try, y'know..." She murmured, "I know you're still a little cross with her, but she really DID try..."

"I don't think she'd throw him up in the air, more likely she'd chase him up there ten sit at the bottom and wait for him to come down. And like you said, I know she tried. I was just angry. Do you...think she's still mad?"

Chi gave him a little squeeze, and nodded grimly. "Yeaaah... she's still pretty smurfed..." she said frankly, "I get the feeling it'll take a whole lotta chocolate and groveling to make her let go of this one... And the one she's got on you-know-who, too."

"What?" Vanity looked up. "She's mad at FARMER? What did he do?!"

Chi bit her lip, hoping she didn't just inavertedly start another battle between the already feuding lovers. "That's right... I forgot, you were still out cold..." she muttered. "I wasn't there, But from my understanding, Aiko apologized for not being able to fix your back, and Farmer just about flipped his lid and smacked her..."

She paused for a moment, then quickly jumped right back. "He already apologized, and let Gutsy take a crack at him. At least he took it like a smurf. But jeez, I'm almost surprised he didn't get a bruise from that...Plus he mentioned something about giving them a couple bottles of smurfberry wine to smooth things over."

"He hit her? And he's still alive? That has to be some sort of accomplishment. Any other Smurf who hit Aiko would be killed by Gutsy if she hadn't already gutted him." Vanity was laughing. "Ah, I'm glad I got to have a laugh. Even if it was at Farmer's expense. Tell Aiko I'm sorry he did that if you see her before me."

"Jeez, I'll say. I half-expected them to skin him alive, then put it back on him inside-out or something. they were SMUUUUUUU-RFED!" she snickered cynically. "hahaha, sweetie, If I had any qualms about laughing at my lover's expense I'd be single for life." she added with another snicker.

"Ah, Hefty loves ya to death. That'll never happen." Vanity laughed. "Boy, I'm getting tired. I hope I get my energy back soon, this is really wearing me out."

"Yeah, til he gets tired of me dodging the marriage discussions." Chi grimaced dryly and wrung her hands. "You know me bubbeleh... I just flip out!"

She started to sit up from the platonic lying-down-with-arm-around-shoulder position. "If you're getting tired, I guess I ought t' go... need anything while I'm out?"

"Nah...go hang out with Hefty, or something. But when you come back, maybe bring Aiko with you?" Vanity asked.

"Okay... I'll see what I can do about Aiko." she chuckled dryly and nudged him on the shoulder. "that smurfette's such a spitfire I'm surprised she doesn't crap ashes."

Chi left to go cozy up to Hefty for a free foot rub, leaving Vanity to rest.a short while later, Farmer thought he ought to go apologize for saying what he did. having had some more Smurfern Comfort to combat the hangover, he wobbled a little back to Papa smurf's lab. he forced himself to look at Vanity, only to avert his eyes again. "Hi, shugah..." Farmer rubbed the back of his head out of nervous habit and plopped down in the chair next to Vanity. "Ah'm sorry 'bout wha' Ah said earlier..."

"It's okay, Farmer-are you drunk AGAIN?" He demanded. "Farmer, honestly, it's not good for you to do that. Seriously, stop drinking so much and let the godsmurfed hangover run its course. It wil enevtually, you're just gonna make it worse," Vanity warned.

Farmer sighed a little and rested his head on his arms. "Smurfit, Van'ty, please don' nag at me like that... Ah ain't drunk. it's just a buzz."

"Really. Tell me, is there any wine left at home, or just a pile of empty bottles?" Vanity snickered. He was getting very tired but the image of Farmer lying on a pile of empty wine bottles singing (or trying to sing) French songs like Painter did when he was drunk was too funny to keep a straight face.

"YES, there's wine at th' house, shugah. don' really like how th' last batch came out anyways." he muttered, getting QUITE tired of Vanity's nagging. "Too much sweetenter."

"Farmer, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm very tired and I'd like to get some rest, okay?" Vanity asked, yawning as if to pove his point, though in reality it was just a convieniately timed yawn.

"Yeah, sure thing, Shugah..." Farmer muttered, rubbing his eyes and yawning a little as well.

He kissed Vanity on the forehead, forcing himself to look into his eyes. he almost had to blink back tears seeing the scar. "Ah love you, shugah..." he said, "Don' ever f'get that..."

Vanity did his best to stifle another yawn. "Never ever," he mumbled, pulling a blanket over his head. "Could you shut the windows? You're letting the light in, it disturbs my beauty rest."

Farmer nodded. "Sure thin' shugah..." he replied.

As he walked to the windows to close the shutters, a glint of light caught his eye. Papa's favorite letter opener laid on the desk next to the window. Farmer caught himself staring at it, then shook his head a little and closed up the shutters. he did the same in the other window, then started walking out the door. he stole one last glance at his lover, wrapped up in the blankets and already close to dreamland. "Have a good rest, Van'ty..." he whispered, saddness in his voice as he gently closed the door behind him.

He started out towards the fields to go check on some of the crops. as he was walking, he saw Chi and Aiko walking in the direction of the lab. " h'lo, ladies," Farmer said cordially, avoiding the peircing eyes of Aiko, "Where y' off to?"

"We were gonna go visit Vanity." Chi replied.

"Oh... well he's sleepin right now..." Farmer shrugged, then started walking away, only to turn back around. "Oh! An' Aiko, Ah'll get'cha tha' wine Ah promised ya _If Ah see ya 'gen_." he caught himself. "Ehm. _WHEN_Ah see ya 'gen."

Farmer hurried off before they could say anything else.

Chi shot Aiko an uneasy look.

"What the hell?" Aiko asked, staring after him. "If I see him again? I don't care about the wine, but dammit, something's up and I dont like it, not one bit. All in favor of making sure he doesnt do anything stupid, say 'Aye'."

"Hang on, Ai-chan..." Chi replied, "I'm as concerned as you are, that wasn't exactly a pleasant Freudian slip. but what exactly do you intend to _DO?_ If we confront him guns-a-smurfing like this, he's only going to withdraw even further... Papa can't exactly do anything until something HAPPENS-" her voice caught in her throat at the thought. "-the only thing we really CAN do is maybe do some spying and make sure he doesn't show any more symptoms. self-destructive behavior, self-loathing, that little slip-up back there... many more symptoms and I get the feeling the village is going to be short one smurf SOON..."

Aiko glared at her friend for a moment. She wanted nothing more than to make absolutely certain Farmer's life wasn't in danger. But, she had to admit Chisette had a point.

"I guess you're right," she snarled grudgingly. "But I seriously hope you're wrong about us losing a Smurf, Chi-chan."

Chi nodded and looked at the ground, her hand wandering to her wrist. "I hope so too, Aiko... GOD, I hope so..." she muttered.

* * *

Nearly a week and a half had passed since Vanity's accident, and he was now allowed to come back home, with the help of a wheelchair, of course. Handy had already made adjustments to their house to accomidate it. Farmer had become something resembling mute, answering questions in one word, or sometimes not at all. he still couldn't bring himself to even look at Vanity, guilt would force him to look away. He'd help Vanity into bed, then sleep on the furthest side away from him. he didn't DESERVE to even touch him, let alone cuddle him... and 6/7 nights after he'd helped Vanity, he'd sit in the kitchen and drink until the room spun. he just hoped Vanity didn't know. one day, he and Vanity went to breakfast. they sat with Chi, Aiko and Gutsy, and were all calmly enjoying their meal. until a sudden splash of smurfberry juice over Vanity's head made everysmurf draw a breath. "Now you're a queer on WHEELS!" Tracker sneered stupidly.

What happened next nobody saw coming. Farmer stood up from his chair, and punched Tracker so hard it put him to the ground. and it didn't stop there. he punched and hit him again and again, despite all his cowardly pleas and cries for help...

Aiko couldn't help growling furiously as Farmer beat Tracker into the ground. She leaped over the table and did her best to wrestle Farmer away from the cowering Tracker.

She had once thought of Tracker as a friend; he'd been nice when she'd arrived at the Village. But now he was merely an acquaintance she was on good terms with occasionally.

"Farmer-! Quit-it-!" she snarled, trying to pull Farmer away. Unfortunately she was at a disadvantage; Farmer was much bigger and stronger than she was.

Aiko was built for speed and usually used her wits against her opponents. But Farmer was in a blind rage and even intelligence wouldn't snap him out of it.

She felt one of Farmer's fists break her nose as she tried to fight him. Vanity was yelling at Farmer to stop, but the farmhand clearly wasnt paying him any attention whatsoever.

Aiko fell away from the fight, her nose bleeding heavily and pain hrobbing through her skull. "Smurfit-Gutsy, help!"

Her Scotsman mate leaped forward and also began wrestling Farmer while Aiko tried to wipe the blood away from her face while Vanity tried to ask her if she as alright.

After a few moments, Farmer realized that Tracker was now unconsious. he stopped his relentless fists, and slowly backed away, staring at the broken and bleeding smurf in front of him. he looked away, only to see Aiko bleeding heavily from her nose. then he realized: he'd hit Aiko without even realizing it... he hung his head in shame and found himself fall to his knees, his head still ducked. he tried to appear as submissive and apolegetic as possible."Ah'm... Ah'm so sorry, Aiko... P-Please forgive me..." he sputtered out, as if he'd forgotten how to speak.

Aiko wasn't listening to Farmer. "Dammit, my nose is broken...Chi, could you help me get to Papa Smurf's? I don't wanna try anything while I'm in pain, I could mess up the spell..."

"Ah'll be there in a moment, Aiko," Gutsy promised, helping her stand. "First I'm going' ta have a word wit' Farmer."

Chi nodded and gave her a towel greedy brought to mop up some of the blood. She carefully led her friend out the door and to Papa's lab.

Farmer immediately clammed up and stood in the back where Gutsy could give him a piece of his mind in somewhat private.

"Aiko!" Papa helped, staring at his bloodied apprentice? "What happened?"

"Guess you could say I Smurf's in the middle of a fight I shouldve stayed out of," Aiko mumbled, feeling dizzy. "Could you fix my nose before scolding me, please?"

Her words were hard to make out, but Papa said, "Yes, of course," and helped her into a chair. Then he turned to Chi. "What did she do?"

Chi sighed a little and facepalmed. "That smurfhole Tracker was bullying Vanity again, and Farmer just flipped out and started wailing on him... I honestly though he was gonna kill him! I've never seen him like that..." she trailed off a moment, but brought herself back, "Aiko tried to get him to stop, but Farmer hit her on the wind-up. Gutsy got him away from Tracker, but Farmer managed tp knock that homophobe smurfhole unconscious."

In all honesty, Tracker got what was coming to him. but Chi wouldn't say that out loud.

* * *

"Ya know," snarled Gutsy, fury rising in his core, "This is the second time yeh've lost yer temper wit' me mate, an' I don' appreciate the fact yeh jus' broke 'er nose."

He brought his face very close to Farmer's. "This is yer last warnin'. Keep yer temper in check or Ah'll break more than yer nose, ya smurfstard." Then he turned to Hefty. "Mind 'elpin' me take this 'un," he nudged the unconconcious Tracker with one foot, "ta Papa's?"

Farmer hung his head and nodded, but didn't say a word. All he seemed to do was cause his friends grief... they'd be so much better without him... he picked up Tracker's feet, and waited for Gutsy to take the unconscious smurf's head and shoulders.

* * *

"If anything the bleeding's getting worse!" Aiko called. "Help, please!"

The door burst open to reveal Gutsy, Hefty, and Farmer carrying an unconscious Tracker. The three Smurfs laid him on the bed before Gutsy turned to Aiko. "How do yeh feel?"

"Well, when my nose stops making my head ache, I'll be great. No worries."

"Aiko," said Papa, "We'll have to set your nose so it doesn't heal crooked."

"Aw, no worries, I've set plenty of my own bones before," Aiko muttered.

Gutsy gripped one of Aiko's hands. She held it so tightly he thought she might break it.

Vanity wheeled in about then. He winced as he saw Aiko's nose and all the blood running down her face and shirt.

Chi winced at the sound of Aiko setting her nose, but scooted closer to Hefty, took his arm and put it around her, and said nothing. Farmer saw Vanity in the doorway, and started towards him. "C'mon... let's go back to th' house..." Farmer muttered. Tracker had bled all over his overalls, and he needed to go change.

Vanity glanced at Farmer then slowly rolled himself back to their mushroom.

Farmer followed him back to their home, then changed out of his overalls. Tonight. He decided right then and there. It was going to be tonight. At dinner, when nobody'd be there to stop him... but he ought to make it up to Vanity, before... He slowly walked to where Vanity was, and sat behind him, wrapping his arms around his slim waist and resting his head on his shoulder. "Van'ty..." he said softly, "It seems like all we ever do 'nymore is fight..."

he took a deep breath, drinking in his mate's familiar citrusy scent. "Ah think we need some time, jus' for you an' me... no'un else... jus' you an me in _'our meadow'..._" -he was referencing the meadow they had spent most of their time in when they'd just gotten together and met in secret.- "How' bout you'n me go out there t'day, jus spend a day t'gether...?"

Vanity sighed. "Alright. I'll go get ready. But before we leave, I want to make sure Aiko's feeling better, okay?"

Farmer nodded and waited for Vanity to get ready.

* * *

Gutsy helped Aiko stand when her nose was fixed.

"I'll help with Tracker," she mumbled.

"No," Papa replied. "You go home and rest. Talk, I don't care, but you aren't doing any work today. You're head's going to be hurting you for a while."

Back at the lab, Chi shooed Hefty and Gutsy away. "If she's okay to talk, then we'd like to talk to you about somesmurf..."

She paused. "Farmer... he's smurfed a complete 180 in the last few weeks... he's drinking, he's irritable, he's fighting with Vanity... I know Aiko's still smurfed with him, but I'M worried about him..."

"Hey, just cause I'm pissed off with doesn't mean I'm not still worried," Aiko defended indignately. "Although, I would like to pop him a good one."

Papa looked at her. "I never said I would!"

"Well, Point being," Chi said, "we're worried, Papa smurf... I- I think he might even be _suicidal..._"she bit her lip and looked away at the memories of her own failed attempts. "I... I haven't said anything to anyone... b-but he asked me to take care of Vanity if something happened to him..." she said. "Something just isn't sitting right with me..."

"That is worrisome..." Papa murmured. "But unfortunately, the most I can do is have some Smurfs watch him in secret to make sure."

"Well, if I'm not allowed to do chores, I volunteer." Aiko offered eagerly.

"Ditto," Chi said nodding her head. "I live and let live, not live and let die."

* * *

When Vanity was ready he rolled out the door with Farmer close behind him. When they reached Papa's mushroom, Vanity turned slightly to look at his mate. "You coming?"

Farmer smiled his half-smile and nodded. "Ah prolly shou', shouldn' Ah?" he said, opening the door for Vanity.

Aiko glanced up as the door opened. "Hi, Vanity! Hi...Farmer..."

"Oh, Aiko, your shirt is completely smurfed!" Vanity cried sympathetically.

"I have more. You going somewhere?" Aiko asked happily.

Farmer nodded a little, still smiling that half smile. "Mm-hmm... Me an' Van'ty are goin' out to th' forest for th' day for some 'lone time t' reconnect some." he said, avoiding her icy eyes and linking hands with Vanity.

"Aw! that sounds smurfy, guys!" Chi smiled. "Have fun, alright?"

"Yeah! Enjoy!" Aiko smiled.

"We will! See you!" Vanity called as they left.

Once they were gone, Aiko bounced up. "Want us to watch them now?"

Chi nodded grimly. "We should..." She turned to Papa smurf "I don't suppose you have any invisibility spells, or charms on hand?"

"Actually," Papa replied, rooting through a small chest next to the table he worked at, "I just might have something to keep you hidden."

He fished two amulets out of the trunk, then closed it up and locked it again. "These amulets will keep you hidden from everysmurf, except for yourselves."

"So, we can see eachother when we wear these things then?" Chi asked, to clairfy.

"Precisely." Papa confirmed.

"Alright," Chi said, putting her amulet on around her neck, "Let's do a little spying, Ai-chan."

They followed Farmer and Vanity through the village and out to the forest...

* * *

Aiko was sitting in a tree watching Vanity and Farmer. It was nearly dinnertime and they would be leaving the meadow soon.

It had been an uneventful day, thankfully, and Aiko had gathered berries to eat for lunch.

"So far, so good, eh?" Aiko asked, popping a blueberry into her mouth and passsing a handful to Chi who was on the branch below her.

Though, even though the day had been uneventful, Aiko still wasn't convinced Farmer wouldn't do something he'd regret.

Chi nodded and popped a berry in her mouth. "Yup... they've just been doing all lovey-dovey couple stuff since we've seen 'em..." She mused, "We probably should talk to Vanity, though. feuding or not he's the closest one to Farmer. I get the feeling there's more than what we see."

Farmer and Vanity had been laying in the wildflowers, talking about basically nothing at all. They were cuddling, and joking, and doing things they really hadn't done for awhile now. it was as if all the events of the last two weeks had just been a weird dream. but Farmer found himself being brought back to reality. he turned towards Vanity and put a hand on his cheek. "Van'ty... Ah have t' talk t'you... an' it's real important." he said softly, all seriousness in his face.

Aiko leaned forward intently. Luckily she was small, so she didn't fall off her branch even though she was practically sitting on the end of it.

"Oh?" asked Vanity, streching slightly. "What's up, honey? Everything all right?"

Chi also quickly clammed up, but couldn't lean to far forward due to her extra weight.

Farmer smiled very slightly, and rubbed Vanity's cheek with his thumb. "Van'ty... You're younger than Ah am... Even with yo' accident, yo're gon' outlive me..." he said softly, "An' Ah wan' you t' know tha' you'll be taken care of shou' somethin' happen to me..."

"I don't like where this is going..." Aiko muttered, glancing at Chi fearfully.

"Why are you bringing this up, dear?" asked Vanity. "I know I'm younger than you, but you've still got plenty of years left in you."

Chi shook her head and hid her face. "I don't either..." she replied, "I really REALLY don't like where this's going..."

Farmer almost cringed at Vanity's words. "Well, y'never know wha's gon' happen..." he said, sadly, "f'all we know, Ah cou' die t'morrow, spreadin' my ashes here next week, an' Ah don' wanna leave this world withou' both of us knowin' you're gon' be taken care of."

"REALLY not liking where he's taking this," Aiko cringed.

"Farmer, nothing's going to happen, you hear me?" Vanity sighed. "You're sticking around for a long time if I've got anything to say about it."

Chi couldn't answer. She had to take a few deep breaths to keep all the feelings and the pain from her own depression from not long ago from rushing back to her at full speed. she almost wanted to cover her ears and not hear another thing.

"Van'ty, you DON' got anythin' t' say 'bout it..." Farmer said plainly, closing his eyes, "'Smurfs smurf plans, and God laughs.' none'a us got a say in wha' happens t' us, 'less it's why, or when we smurf th' bucket."

"Gah, he's making me upset know!" Aiko moaned. She couldn't help remembering all the abuse she'd been forced to take from her parents. Wherther it be physical or verbal, emotional or even, on a few occasions, sexual, she'd always had a strong desire to kill herself.

When she'd arrived at Smurf Village, her life had gotten a hundred times better. But Farmer's words were making the sinking feeling of depression return.

"Farmer. I want you to smurf up right now. NOTHING is going to happen to you, understand? Because even if I didn't stop something from hurting you, you know damn well everyone else would do whatever it took to save you."

Chi nodded in agreement. "I- I vote we talk to him at dinner... When we have Gutsy and Papa around for some extra support..." she found her eyes watering, and couldn't keep them open. "I- I can't listen to this... I just CANT..." she covered her ears to further combat her own depression.

Farmer sighed. "Shugah... Smurfs live for a long time... but Ah ain't gon' be around forever..." he said, sounding cryptic and mysterious. he glanced at the watch on the inner side of his wrist. "It's gettin' close t' dinnertime... C'mon, let's head back."

"Alright, let's go."

"C'mon, they're leaving," Aiko said, shaking Chi's shoulder. "We have to get back before they do, so it doesn't seem suspicous."

* * *

It didn't take too long for Vanity and Farmer to reach the village. Chi and Aiko were at dinner, and had just breifed Hefty, Gutsy and Papa on their intervention. Farmer, of course, was clueless to it. Time to go through with his plan... "Van'ty, how bout y'all go t' dinner, Ah'll catch up. Ah forgot t' lock up m' tool shed earlier."

Farmer bent down and hugged his lover, drinking in as much of his mate's sweet scent as his lungs allowed. "Ah love you, Van'ty... don' EVER forget tha'..." he said softly.

"Love you too," Vanity smiled, nuzzling Farmer. "Don't take too long, I'll be waiting."

When Vanity arrived Aiko's heart, which had been pounding in her throat, turned to a ball of ice and sank into her stomach. "Where's Farmer?"

"Locking up his tool shed," said Vanity, confused. "Why?"

"Like hell he is!" Aiko yelled. "I'm going after him! Chi!" And she dashed off without waiting to see if her friend was following.

Chi stood from her seat as quickly as the extra weight allowed her and ran after Aiko.

Meanwhile, Farmer really HAD been at his tool shed... but just to get some rope that he used to secure his farm equipment in windstorms. he would've stayed in the shed, but there was no place really high enough... so he hurried back to his own house and locked the door behind him. He knew the others were all at dinner, but he didn't want to take any chances... he got a chair from the kitchen, and drug it with him to his study. he stood on the chair, and tied the rope to a rafter. he felt tears running down his cheeks as he tied the other end of the rope into a noose, then slipped it over his head.

"Ah'm sorry, Van'ty..." he said aloud.

He kicked the chair out from underneath him and felt the rope from the noose tighten around his throat just as there was a loud pounding on the front door.

"_Interficiam fumes_!" Aiko yelled. A bolt of blue energy shot from her hand, slicing the ropes on command.

Farmer fell to the ground, and Aiko rushed forward to see if he was alright.

Farmer curled up in a ball, sobbing and whimpering, and refused to let her touch him. "Why the hell din' you jus' let me DIE!?" he asked through his tears, "Ah don' wanna live with this pain... this GUILT..."

* * *

Chi had seen Farmer hanging there just before Aiko cut him down, and immediately ran back to the mess hall. She collapsed in front of Papa smurf, sobbing almost hysterically. "Chisette! What on smurf-" Papa asked, rushing to her aid.

"F-F-F-Farmer j-just tried to kill himself..." She managed to choke out. "Ai-Ai-Aiko just cut him down..."

"WHAT?!" yelled Vanity, staring at her in horror.

"Where are they?!" Gutsy demanded.

Chi trembled, still sobbing, and tried to muster the breath to speak. Papa smurf hugged her gently, like a father would, and tried to calm her down. "Shh... calm down, Chisette... You must calm down..." he hushed her. "Take a deep breath, my little smurf..."

A few deep breaths later, Chi had finally calmed down enough to speak again. "Th-th-the house... they're at the house... the study, I think..." she murmured.

"C'mon!" Gutsy called to Hefty, racing off to the house. Vanity wheeled after them.

Chi had somewhat recovered from the initial shock, and started after them, scared Gutsy was going to do or say something stupid. she was equally worried about Hefty, seeing as he lost his brother similarly. And Vanity of course. the poor smurf just looked like a shocked mess. but at the moment, Gutsy and the fact he often has no edit button was her main concern. "Dammit, you guys!" she panted, running after them "He's already been cut down, we really don't have to run!"

* * *

"Because," snarled Aiko, answering Farmer's question about her saving him, "You're trying to make a mistake! Can't you see what this would do to others? Didn't you see Chisette? Imagine what Vanity will be like when he finds out what you just did! And what was your plan for someone finding you? Let Vanity walk in and be traumatized for life, seeing you just hanging there dead?!"

"Chi would'a taken care'a Van'ty..." Farmer murmured, curling up into a tighter ball, "Ah... Ah jus' cain't live with myself, Aiko..."

he wiped his eyes, only to have more tears replace them. "From th' first day Van'ty an' Ah got t'gether, Ah promised Ah'd keep'm safe from harm... Ah FAILED him... Ah let him down... Van'ty cain't ever walk 'gan an' it's all my fault!"

"If it's anyone's fault it's mine," snarled Aiko. "I should have saved him. But I was a coward and was only thinking about saving my own skin. Azrael still would have messed up his back even if we had gotten to the hovel sooner."

Farmer shook his head. "N-no... that damn cat cut'm open, but it was th' fall, an' th' glass that cut all those nerves... f' Ah'da reached it jus a lil' sooner..." he trailed off.

"Papa said it was Azrael's claws that damaged his back. Quit trying to pin it on yourself." Aiko snapped.

Gutsy and the others burst in the, Chi panting after them.

"_Y'all don' understand, Aiko!_" Farmer snapped in reply, taking no notice of the others, "_You dunno wha' its like t' promise some'un you'd protect them, then see them in pain on your watch!_"

Just as Vanity wheeled past her, Chi tried to stop him and turn him back towards the kitchen. "I don't think now's the best time, Vanity..." she said softly.

"Oh yeah?" snarled Aiko. That tore it. HE was guilty? He didn't know what guilt was! _"How about this? Watching your brother get beaten to a pulp because you did something wrong, then having him disappear after YEARS of unendurable pain, not knowing whether he's alive or dead. For all I know, Katana never survived. How do think I feel? Dealing with THAT guilt every day? What about having your best friend murdered after having a fight with her? Knowing if you'd just kept her there a little while longer-just a few more minutes-she'd still be alive? If I'd been smarter, Kelly would still be a wingless angel. She got her wings and halo much too early. And that was my fault. Don't tell me about guilt. I've gone through so much guilt it has literally eaten away at me. Don't you ever say you've felt more guilty than I have."_

Farmer whimpered a little and looked up at her. he knew Aiko had a lot more to her than what met the eye... but he had no idea she had gone through so much... He sat up and wiped his eyes a little. "Ah... Ah had no idea..." he murmured. "Guess... Guess Ah am pretty selfish..."

He noticed the noose still loosely slung around his neck and pulled it back up over his head, leaving what was left of the rope and noose on the ground. "Ah'm sorry Ah scared you, shugah..." He said, tears welling up in his eyes. "Ah... Ah.. Ah cain't b'lieve I was really gon-!" his voice caught in his throat.

"You have no idea." Aiko growled. Her blond hair was crackling with angry energy. "The only reason _I_ didn't kill ,yself was my mother locked me in my room. You know what was in my room? A pillow and a sheet. I didn't have an opportunity to die. No one would have cared if I died in the human world. Guess who would have cared here." She paused, glancing at Gutsy. "Everyone who would have cared about _you_."

Farmer hugged his knees to his chest. He knew his friends cared about him... but he just didn't really realize how much... "People always say that the world would be better off with them gone," Hefty said quietly, not making eye contact with Farmer and rubbing the tattoo under his peck, "They don't realize how wrong they are, and just how much it affects everysmurf... how much pain it causes... how many unanswerable questions get asked... how many tears are shed..."

He quickly brought himself back. "I know how you feel with the 'what if's... what if I'd known sooner? What if I'd gotten there sooner? What if I'd, insert guilty thought of choice here. Well, what ifs can't fix the past, they're meant for the future. Remember what you'd asked Papa? If he could help you and Vanity have a kid, or adopt, or whatever?" Hefty paused a moment, "What do you think would've happened then...? If you'd done this with a KID to worry about..."

Farmer had actually forgotten about him and Vanity talking to Papa about a little one... he began to realize just how much he had to live for...and cried again. "Dad gum..." he murmured, "Ah... Ah... Ah hadn' even thou' bout tha'..."

"YOU WEREN'T THINKING AT ALL!" Aiko's shrill yowl split the air suddenly. "THAT'S THE PROBLEM, FARMER! YOU DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME TO SAY, 'HEY, THIS MIGHT REALLY AFFECT SOMEONE! MAYBE I SHOULD CONTEMPLATE MY OPTIONS!"

Her face was in his. "You haven't been thinking for weeks! _Weeks_! You've been keeping your temper out of check! Drinking until you look ready to die of alcohol poisoning! You've been neglecting your mate, yourself, hurting your friends-I should know-and downright making everyone want to stay away from you! You know Sassette's been hanging out with me and Gutsy and Chi because you SCARE her?!"

Farmer was absolutely dumbfounded by Aiko's shouting. "Ah- Ah SCARE her...?" he said stupidly.

He didn't even realize how much he'd affected those he cared about in the last weeks...

"YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE LOOKED LIKE THIS PAST WEEK? YOU LOOKED LIKE A GODSMURFED ZOMBIE! And, you probably don't remember, as you were so drunk, but you yelled at her for picking a few tomatoes that weren't quite ready. She thinks you've been possessed or something!" Aiko was SO not happy with Farmer. She was infuriated.

Farmer winced at her yelling and ducked his head, ashamed. he tried to make it a point not to yell at Sassette... she was probably one of the only smurfs in the village that loved him unconditionally... and he flipped out at her...? "Aiko," Chi said calmly, having heard all her yelling and gone to her side, "Yelling at him isn't going to get the point across any better or worse than just talking... screaming in his face about how scared we are right now, and how he's been in the last few weeks won't make it sink in any deeper."

"I need to be alone. I'm going into the forest for a bit." Aiko snapped stiffly.

"Are yeh alright?" asked Gutsy worriedly.

"I'm fine. I just need to wrap my head around the fact I just prevented a suicide. See you soon, _Ravu_."

Chi watched her leave, shaking her head slightly. "gahh... What am I going to do with her..." she muttered. "Farmer... I ain't gonna lie... recovering from this is gonna be HELL... For you, and all of us... I'll be honest. there are still days I... I don't think I want to go on...It just isn't worth it anymore... sometimes I watch my own funeral in my head..." she averted her eyes. "I don't have NEARLY as bad a past as Aiko... but depression is depression. it's a lifelong road to recovery... and a bumpy one at that."

She took an orb from her pocket, one of Handy's inventions resembling earbuds plugged into it. "Here... I... I think you ought to hear this...I'd play it sometimes on the worse days..." she murmered, playing one of the songs from her time.  
Farmer listened for a short while, then broke down in tears, hugging Chi tightly and murmuring incoherant apologies. Once the song was over, Chi took back her orb, and slowly stood him up. "C'mon... I think there's somesmurf who ought to see you right now... I'll go talk to Aiko later, see if she calms down..." she murmured, leading him down the hall to the kitchen area where Vanity was.

"I'll let you two be alone..." Chi said softly, patting him on the back and slipping out the door.

Farmer took a seat somewhat accross from Vanity and smiled a very small, weak half-smile. "H-Hi, Shugah..."

"Why would you try to do something like that?" Vanity sobbed, staring at Farmer sadly. "Why, Famer?!"

Farmer felt tears in his eyes again, and more sobs in his throat. "Ah... Ah... Ah'm sorry, Van'ty..." He choked out, "Ah... Ah thought tha' all Ah seem t' do is hurt you... an' our friends... An'- An' Ah felt like Ah broke my promise... Tha' Ah'd always keep you safe... Ah... Ah guess Ah thought Ya'll'd be better off withou' me..." Farmer slumped forward and hid his face with his hands, his voice still breaking, "Dad gummit, Van'ty... Why th' hell DO you stay...? Fo' th' smurf'a me, Ah jus cain't figger it out..."

* * *

Aiko sat in a tree, feeling the wind rushing through her hair. Silently she put an earbud from her iPod in her ear and listened as the soothing notes of 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift washed over her.

Her whole form shook as sobs racked her body. Katana was probably dead, Kelly definately was. Why was life so cruel?

_I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said 'I'll never let you go'  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remeber you said, 'Don't leave me here alone'  
But all that's dead and gone and past_ _tonight_"

Aiko high, angelic voice rose into the cool night, bringing an unwanted guest.

Meanwhile, in the forest, Chi was looking for Aiko. She knew that this was a majorly personal topic to her, and the nurturing side of her wanted to check on her to make sure she was alright. she heard the sounds of a familiar song mixed with sobs and an angelic voice, and followed it to its source. Chi found Aiko in a tree, sobbing and singing, not even seeming to notice her there. She quietly climbed the tree, til she was close to the branch Aiko was perched on. "Ai-chan...?" She said softly.

The look and sound of Aiko sobbing is enough to put fear in any heart, even someone as headstrong and reckless as Chi. although, being close to Aiko, she knew what was causing her tears. "You're... you're thinking about them now... Aren't you...?" She said solemnly.

Aiko nodded, shame coloring her face. She was weak. "I-" she began, but was cut off. She-she knew that sound. "Hide!" she roared, pushing Chi into a small hollow in the tree.

Chisette was barely hidden when a huge hawk appeared, its talons ready. The huge claws dug into Aiko's small form. A yowl tore from her throat as the huge bird carried her from the tree.

"AIKO!" Chi screamed in shock.

She scrambled down from the tree and ran for the village as fast as her feet could carry her, shouting and screaming for help. Farmer was the first to hear it. he wiped his eyes and looked out the window. "Tha' sounds like Chi..." He said, quickly standing from his chair and running to meet her, Hefty, Gutsy and Vanity close behind.

Chi was grateful to see her friends, but was almost completely out of breath. She practically collapsed in Farmer's arms. "Breathe, shugah!" Farmer urged her, "Wha's wrong? Wha' happened?"

Chi took only a second or two to catch her breath before she spoke again. "Ai... Aiko..." She puffed. "Sh-she's been taken by a... a hawk... Couldn't... couldn't help her..." She wheezed and coughed violently from the running. "Gotta... Gotta save her..."

* * *

Aiko's energy was quickly being depleted, but she managed to wriggle slightly in the grip of the claws. "Reducto!"

The hawk screeched as the spell hit its large yellow eye. It released its prey and flew away. Meanwhile, Aiko quietly whimpered, ner whole body quaking as she silently begged her mate to rescue her."Gutsy...help...me..."

* * *

Gutsy let a furious, bear-like roar tear up through his chest. He turned and blundered into the forest, determined to find Aiko.

Chi led the way for Farmer and Hefty, following Gutsy and leading them all to the tree where she'd been initially carried away. They spread out searching for her. that was about the time Farmer heard the moaning. he followed the sounds, and found an unconscious little twisted blue heap huddled underneath a tree. he recognized the cracked in one lense silver spectacles and felt his heart sink. he rushed to her side, trying not to jerk her neck around or anything. "Guys! Ah Found 'er! an' she's hurt bad!"

Hefty, Chi and Gutsy quickly joined him. Gutsy uttered a strangled gasp, but Chi shooed him away and tied her hair up out of her face. she put two fingers underneath Aiko's jaw, feeling for a pulse. after a moment or two, she exhaled. "She's alive... but she's lost a lot of blood..." she said, "We've gotta get her back to the village."

Farmer carefully gathered her up in his arms... He owed her this much...

Aiko whimpered fearfully and tried to free herself from Farmer's strong grip, to no avail. They arrived in the village, Gutsy makingstrangled cries as he searched for Papa. When he found the old Smurf, Gutsy was barely coherent.

"PAPA SMURF!" Gutsy yelled, half-sobbing as he approoached the elder, "Aiko's been attacked by a hawk!"

The older Smurf raised his head. A hawk attack would be hard enough to deal with, but for Aiko, treatment would be torture.

"Put her down on the bed," Papa instructed, immediately setting down a potion he had been working on, "We have no time to loose! Brainy! Start an IV drip, NOW."

Farmer carefully placed Aiko down on the bed, careful not to jerk her head and neck around too much. Papa quickly examined her, much to her disapproval. Brainy had just started an IV drip, and Aiko started struggling to get away. "shh... Shh... calm down, Aiko." Papa soothed her, "we're trying to help."

His gentle words fell on deaf ears. Aiko continued to struggle, only doing further damage to the already gushing wounds and threatening to pull out the IV. Papa shook his head a little, and quickly went to a cabinet and took leather straps from it. "we need to smurf her in four-point restraints." he said plainly, "Otherwise she'll only hurt herself more."

Chi and Brainy nodded and started to apply the restraints with Aiko on her back.

Gutsy cried as he moved forward to hold Aiko's head. She had stopped writhing about in her restraints. "Please..." Gutsy whispered to her. "You can't leave me, love..."

The once life-filled ice eyes were dull. Aiko smiled slightly as ice met sapphire.

They all saw then. Aiko was dying. And was accepting it.

Mysteriously, one of the restraints fell away from Aiko's wrist. She gently grasped one of Gutsy's hands. A soft murmur, almost too low to hear, escaped her lips. "Thank you, my brother..."

"Do not cry for me, my love. I'll be in a beautiful place, free, happy, with no more pain. I'll see Katana and Kelly. And when your time comes to join me, I'll be waiting for you, with my wings and halo..."

Gutsy sobbed.

"Hush, my love, my ravu. I will never leave you. You are my everything. You are my soulmate."

She then let a beautiful voice only Gutsy had heard before ring in the room.

And in the mushroom, Aiko sang her Swan Song.

"_I remember tears streaming down your face when I said 'I'll never let you go'_  
_When all those shadows almost killed your light_  
_I remember you said 'Don't leave me here alone'_  
_But all that's dead and gone and past tonight_

_Just close your eyes_  
_The sun is going down_  
_You'll be alright_  
_No one can hurt you now_  
_Come morning light_  
_You and I'll be safe and sound_"

Gutsy hugged her tightly as she sang, not caring the others were there. He hated knowing Aiko was going to die and he could not stop it. He would cling to her final song as though it were a life raft.

Chi realized Aiko's acceptance, and joined her by her side. "N-no..." She whimpered, "Godsmurfit, Aiko, Don't you _DARE_leave us!"

Farmer refused to accept it. "Dad gummit, Aiko, y' ain't givin' up on us now!" He said, thouroughly determined, "Pa' smurf, there's gotta be SOMETHIN we kin' do!"

Papa thought for a moment. "There's only one way to save her, and it's incredibly risky." he said, gravely, "I'd need blood... a LOT of blood... so much it very well might take the donator's life... from someone who is greatly indebted to her."

Gutsy started to stand, but Farmer intervened. "AH'LL do it..." he turned to Gutsy. "She cut me down from a noose... Ah owe Aiko my LIFE."

"Are you CERTAIN?" Papa asked, gravely, "Once the spell begins, there's no turning back.

Farmer took a deep breath. "Positive."

Aiko's weak but beautiful voice stopped singing. She turned her head, her eyes dull. "No," she whispered.

"Aiko-" began Gutsy, but she smiled and shook her head.

"Gutsy, my love," she murmured quietly. "I'm hurt beyond repair. Even if I were to let Farmer throw away his life for me, I still wouldn't survive the surgery it would take to save me. And I hurt so much, love...it hurts...I just want to go with my brother and Kelly...they're waiting for me, love..."

Gutsy could feel tears of grief running down his face, but he nodded as he held his precious Aiko.

"Farmer," Aiko said softly, "I didn't save you so you could throw your life away needlessly. You aren't meant to die today. I am."

She weakly raised a hand a said quietly, "_Sheild enim omnia_!" A large, red bubble encased Gutsy and Aiko, shielding them from spells and Smurfs alike. Nosmurf could enter.

She turned back to her mate and continued her Final Song.

"_ Don't you dare look out your window  
Darling everything's on fire  
The war outside our door keeps raging on  
Hold on to this lullaby  
Even when the music's gone  
Gone_

Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound

Gutsy gently stroked her bloodied face as she sang to him. He listened intently; this would be the last time he would hear her sing. Hear this beautiful, angel-like voice. The thought made him want to run away, but he couldn't leave her.

A second voice, slightly higher, seemed to join Aiko's now, both singing in harmony.

"_ Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh  
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh  
La la, la la  
La la, la la  
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh  
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh  
La la,la la  
La la, la la_

Just close your eyes  
You'll be alright  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound...

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oh oh

"

A smile smile rested on Aiko's face as she finished. "Do not cry, my love," she whispered softly. "After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. I will see Kelly and Katana again. And when your time to come to the Kingdom of the Angels arrives, I will be waiting for you."

"In my heart and soul," Gutsy said shakily, stroking her face.

"Forever and always," Aiko replied. "I love you, Gutsy...I love you so much...always remember that..."

Gutsy sat and stroked his mate's face and mane of golden hair. She smiled, enjoying his touch.

Aiko's hand slipped out of Gutsy's.

Her head lolled to one side.

The shield broke.

Aiko's soul was gone.

The room was silent, except for Gutsy's sobs and a few little sniffings and cries. Papa found himself utterly silent and mourning, unable to speak a single consoling word to his smurfs. Brainy, too, for once was silent and speechless, and had his head bowed out of respect.

Chi buried her face in Hefty's chest, and sobbed. Without Aiko, hers or her baby's life expectancy had grown drastically short. Aiko was supposed to make sure it'd be alright... make sure neither one of them would be lost...

Farmer felt tears running down his face childishly, but did not try to hide them nor wipe them away. The smurfette who saved his life, pulled him back from the edge was now dead... and this time it really WAS his fault...He kicked the side of the wall agitatedly, his breath choked and broken. "GodSMURFIT, Aiko..." he murmured, "CHOOSIN' t' jus' roll over an' let yo'self die like tha'... not even conciderin' y'cou' get better... It's... It's jus'as bad as wha' you stopped me from doin'..."

"DON' YEH PIN WHA' THA' HAWK DID ON 'ER!" roared Gutsy, his face enraged as he glared at Farmer. "SHE KNEW BETTER THAN ALL OF YEH! SHE KNEW 'OW BADLY SHE WAS 'URT! AH'M SURE THAT IF PAPA LOOKED 'ER OVER 'E'D FIND OUT SHE WAS RIGHT ABOUT NOT LIVING THROUGH SURGERY!"

He was deranged with grief. "SHE SAVED YOUR LIFE TWICE! IF YOU EVER SAY ONE WORD AGAINST 'ER AH'LL SMURF YER BLOCK OFF!"

"_**AH AIN'T PINNIN' IT ON HER!**_" Farmer shouted back even louder, tears rolling down his cheeks, "_**DAMMIT, GUTSY! AH OWE HER MY LIFE!**_"

he shook his head and kicked the wall again. "Sh-she didn't even TRY..." He found himself wailing, "She COULDA fought it, bu' she DIDN'... NEITHER of us were 'sposed t' die t'day!"

Gutsy was absolutely furious. "_**NO SMURF WAS TO DIE TODAY, YER RIGHT!"**_ he snarled._** "BUT AIKO WASN'T AS STRONG AS ME OR YOU. SHE NEARLY DIED 'UDREDS OF TIMES, AND NOW SHE'S GONE! ME MATE IS DEAD! AND YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK?! AT LEAST SHE DIED HERE, WHERE SHE WAS SAFE AND 'APPY, INSTEAD OF COWERING AT THE HANDS OF HER 'PARENTS'! ME MATE DIED PROTECTING YOU! THAT WAS ALL SHE DID HER WHOLE LIFE, WAS PROTECT THOSE SHE LOVED! THAT HAWK WOULD HAVE GOTTEN CHI IF AIKO HADN'T STOPPED IT! SHE WAS A GODSMURFED MIRACLE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, MIRACLES DON'T SPEND NEARLY ENOUGH TIME IN THE LIVING WORLD AS THEY SHOULD!"**_

Farmer shook his head and got closer to Aiko's unmoving body. "**Yo're right 'bout everythin' cept ONE.**" he said loudly, "**Aiko was th' STRONGEST smurf in th' whole village. WORLD, even. She was a FIGHTER. Tha's why Ah admired her. She wouldn' take no bullsmurf from nobody. Th' most protective, determined, stubborn smurf Ah ever known. Done ANYTHIN' She put her mind t' an' tha' INCLUDES gettin' better. YOU know tha' as well as AH do.**"

"You don't know her like I do," Gutsy's voice cracked. "You haven't seen her, at night...when she thinks her parents are going to kill her...She couldn't stand pain, Farmer. She was an angel who was treated like a RAT. You don't know what it was like, having her whimper and cry in her sleep. She went through unimaginable TORTURE. And always, always, they left her just well enough to live, never merciful enough to let her die. She hated pain, she feared it...Aiko may have been strong and brave and beautiful and glorious, but she was not impervious. And now she is _free_. Why can't you understand?"

Farmer shook his head and leaned against the wall, facing towards it. "Dad gummit, Gutsy..." he choked out, "Ah KNOW she wen' through hell as a human... bu' THIS was her home now... a NEW LIFE..." his voice froze a moment. "She cut a noose to save me from m'self, Gutsy... she saved my life... Then let herself die, evn when we both know she coulda gotten better... maybe THA'S why Ah 'caint understand."

"Even 'ere...yeh all never notice, bu' even 'ere she stays quiet, and slinks aroun' like somesmurf is gonna beat 'er...She cringes when somesmurf gets too close...when they brush 'er shoulder..." Gutsy shuddered.

"Papa," said the Scotsman softly, "Would you mind finding out just how bad Aiko's internal damage was?"

The old grieveing Smurf raised his head and nodded.

"Thank yeh."

Papa asked them to leave for a short while so he could perform an autopsy alone. Farmer left Gutsy to grieve, and decided to go find Vanity. he found him sitting in the living room, having moved himself onto the couch, and reading a book. "Van'ty...?" Farmer said sadly, "S-Somethin's happened, shugah..."

"What's wrong, Farmer dear...?" asked Vanity.  
Farmer sat down on the couch next to him, and took his hands. "Shugah..." he said, slowly, "It's Aiko... Sh-she's... she's dead..."

"Farmer," said Vanity sharply, "if this is a joke it's in very poor taste. Aiko is the strongest in the village! Alright, maybe not physically, like Hefty, but still..."

Farmer shook his head slowly. "This... ain't a joke, Van'ty... Th' hawk attack... sh- she didn' make it..."

"Wha-what...?" Vanity asked slowly. "She-she can't be-she can't just be-dead..."

Farmer nodded, and rubbed Vanity's hands with his thumbs. "Sh... She is..." he said, his voice beginning to hitch. "Sh... She got hurt too bad... they couldn' save her... AH couldn' save'er in time..."

He put an arm around Vanity and hugged him tightly.

Vanity clutched to Farmer. "Oh God, Farmer...you almost died tonight...and Aiko saved you and now she's dead-!"

"Ah Know, Van'ty..." Farmer felt his arms trembling as he held onto his mate, "b-but... Ah guess we really cain't feel sorry for HER..." he wiped his eyes and nose, then pressed his face against Vanity's cheek. "she's th' lucky one... her suffering, her battle's over... an' ours is jus' b'gun..."

"You-you're right." Vanity hiccupped. "But, still...we'll never talk to her again...never see her...heck, I wouldn't even mind having her shouting curse words at us and hexing us as we walked through the village!"

Farmer stroked Vanity's cheek with his hand, "Ah wouldn' either, shugah..." he said, "Ah'd do jus' about anythin' t' hear that yell of hers... or see that rare smile... her cackle... smurf, Ah wouldn' even mind her smackin' me upside th' head for doin' somethin' stupid..."he almost chuckled, but his sorrow made it sound more like another jagged breath. "We'll see'er gan, Shugah... If not where'ver us smurfs go when we die, if we go anywhere, in our dreams, an' our hearts..."

"Yes...yes, you're right..." Vanity shuddered. "It's still hard, though..."

Farmer kissed him on the forehead. "Ah dun' think it was meant to be easy, shugah..." he said softly, "If grievin' was easy, then maybe th' world wouldn' have a lotta th' stuff it has now... art, n' music n' stuff..."

"God, Gutsy must be going through hell," Vanity whispered.

Farmer nodded. "Ah'll say... Ah've never seen him like tha' b'fore... tha' look on 'is face..." Farmer shuddered a little, "Smurf, Van'ty... It was jus' awful..."

"You could have died tonight," Vanity whispered. "You could have died, but she saved you and then _she_ died...how is that fair...?"

Farmer felt a gigantic lump in his throat that he couldn't swallow or breathe away. "It IN'NT..." he said, "Why di' you have yo're accident? why di' Aiko hafta die, when Ah'm walkin' round wit' jus' a couplea bruises on m' throat...? NOTHIN 'bout it's fair..."

Vanity shook his head. "She was so amazing, and now...now we'll never see her face again, or hear her voice..."

"Ah... Ah had th' chance t' save her t'night..." Farmer half-whispered, feeling his voice wobble, "Ah had th' chance t' try an' save her... bu' she wouldn' let me... she said it'd jus' kill both of us..." Farmer hid his face and hugged Vanity tighter, "Daggumit, Van'ty... If Ah'da never done this t'night, she wouldn'a gone out to th' forest... she woulda' been alive..."

"Don't blame yourself, Farmer...please...I hate it when you do..."

"Ah know, Van'ty.. Bu' it's TRUE... If Ah hadn' flipped her out earlier, she wouldn'a gone out to th' forest... she'da been safe for another night..."

"No one knew it would happen. It's one of those things nosmurf controls..." Vanity sighed.

"Then why d' Ah feel so guilty...?" Farmer whimpered quietly, hiding his face again. "Ah... Ah never even got t' 'pologize, Van'ty... Or thank 'er, or nothin... An' now Ah'll never get th' chance to..."

"I think she knows," Vanity said quietly. "She always read us like open books, remember...?" He sighed sadly. "Now she can't help with our project, or sing, or be with Gutsy...but at the same time, I don't think she has any regrets..."

Farmer sighed slightly, "Ah guess tha's the only real way t' live, shugah," he said, "No regrets... Ah jus' wish Ah coulda told 'er m'self..."

"I know," Vanity murmured. "She's done so much, saving me, saving you, Chi...Aiko was an amazing Smurfette. The thought that she won't be around any more...so we can properly thank her..."

Farmer heaved a little dry sob, having finally run out of tears. "It jus' inn't fair..." he murmured, "Why did somesmurf like Aiko have t' die in so much pain...? Who in th' stars wou' allow tha...?"

"I have no idea..." Vanity whispered."Somesmurf who must not have realized what a gift she was...or somesmurf eho knew she WAS a gift, but the rest ofus were too blind to see it..."

Farmer huddled up to his lover, still sad and resentful with whatever power took Aiko away from them, "Ah guess so, shugah..." he murmured, "Ah guess so..."

* * *

Elsewhere in the village, Chi approached the mushroom that Gutsy and Aiko once shared. she sharply knocked on the door, almost afraid of what she'd find. "Gutsy...? You in here?"

Gutsy heard Chi knocking and stood to let her in. As he did he past the portriat Aiko had drawn of the two of them. Her hair was messy, her smile wide and beautiful. He was laughing with her as she tackled him playfully.

Drawing had been Aiko's secret pleasure. No one but Gutsy had known she was an artist. He smiled as he looked at her face. This, then, would be his reminder. Slowly he opened the door to let in Aiko's best friend in the Smurf world.

Chi tried to muster up a smile as Gutsy answered the door. "Hey, bubbeleh..." she said softly, "just checkin' up on ya... How ya holdin' up...?"

Gutsy shrugged dully. "As best Ah can, Ah suppose," he murmured quietly. "Ah-Ah can't wrap me head around it...she's dead..."

Chi nodded understandibly. "I know... I keep thinking I'm gonna hear that voice of hers yelling something at Brainy... then watch him go flying out of the village, like nothing ever happened..." she murmured, before she felt tears in her eyes. "M-mind if I come in...? Papa wanted me to get some of her personal artifacts for a spell for some better insight to how serious her wounds were..."

Gutsy slowly stepped back to allow Chi to enter. He quietly lead her to Aiko's art room.

Pencils, paper, erasers, and other drawing materials were scattered haphazardly about the room. Hundreds of drawings of Aiko, Gutsy, Chi, Hefty, Farmer, Vanity, and Smurfette were hung on the walls. Other sketches were plastered to avaliable bits of ceiling and wall: a boy who bore a striking resemblance to their dead friend, but his face was sharper, more defined. A girl with large, bouncing pigtails, dressed in a dance outfit, or the Glinda costume. One drawing even showed Aiko and Kelly hugging eachother dressed as Elphaba and Glinda.

"What sort of things are you looking for...?" asked Gutsy quietly, looking around.

Chi was stunned by all the drawings and sketches scattered around. she distractedly ran her fingers over one of her, Vanity and Aiko on one of the rare sleepovers that the two of them roped her into, laughing, pillow-fighting, and goofing around without a care in the world. "Uh, anything, really... spare pair of glasses... a shirt, or a hairbrush... just things that she used a lot, I guess..."

Her sights lingered over a drawing of Chi smiling and hugging her tummy, Aiko flashing one of her rare smiles and patting her on the back, Vanity _standing_ and hugging her with an open champange bottle. she remembered this day... that was the day she found out she was pregnant... back when nothing was wrong... back when Vanity could still walk... back when Farmer wasn't suicidal... back when Aiko was alive... She couldn't help but tear up. "I... I never knew she was an artist..." she murmured, then picked up both the sleepover drawing and the one in her hand. "You mind if I hang onto a couple of these...?" She asked distractedly.

"Not at all," Gutsy said, rummaging through one of the drawers in Aiko's desk. "A few of them were for you, anyway." He paused, running his hand over a stack of neatly piled up papers. "She didn't like to talk about it much. Always said she wasn't very good."

He pulled a spare pair of glasses from one drawer and a photograph from the human world from another. "Here. Her other glasses and a photo of her, Katana, and Kelly. Before the other two...you know..."

Chi looked at more of the pictures, "Hmm... Dunno WHAT she was thinkin..." she muttered, "most'a these are better than Painter's..."

She tore her gaze away from the sketches and drawings, and took the photograph and glasses. she ran her thumb over the boy in the picture, studying him slightly, "Her brother... looked just like her..." she murmured, "And in all honesty... if he's anything like her... i think he survived..." she turned over the picture so she couldn't see Aiko's once smiling face. "she was just that headstrong..."

"Maybe. He was like her in a lot of ways, she said. But she also said he wasn't as experienced. She said he tried to run away a few times, always came back bloody and beaten to a pulp. And then one day he never came back."

He sighed. "I'd like to think Katana made it. I'd have loved to meet him, it was clear Aiko adored him. But...at the same time...it's comforting to think she might be with the only kin she had that loved her. Blood kin."

Chi flinched at the thought. "I can't even imagine what her human life was like..." she murmured, "but at least she got out of there..."

She caught herself staring at the drawing of her, Aiko and Vanity, and felt her eyes watering. "Yeah...I... I guess that'd be better... I'm just... trying to think positively... it... it helps with the fear..." she murmured very quietly.

"I understand." Gutsy gently stroked a potrait Aiko had done. Her eyes were so...realistic...it was amazing, the talent she had with a pencil... The eyes seemed to sparkle with life.

"At least this way we'll always have something from her..." He mused softly.

Chi closed her eyes and bowed her head, exhaling a small sigh. "What on smurf are we gonna do...? Jeez, What'm _I_ gonna do...?"

"Somehow we'll have to move on..." Gutsy sighed. "Somehow we'll have to put smiles on our faces and live life as we would have with her...And maybe one day, the smiles might be real..."

He smirked slightly as he picked up a picture of Aiko sopping wet after Brainy had once accidentally pushed her in the river. While the rest of them had stood on the bank laughing, Aiko had been using her fire to pick up a tree branch. Seconds later she would use it to push Brainy into the water, too. "Maybe all we need is to learn to have her sense of humor..."

Chi wiped her eyes and laughed looking at some of the angry pictures she'd drawn of Brainy, often in drag or in unpleasant situations, and marveled at the detailed ones she'd drawn of Papa hard at work on his potions. "I guess..." She murmured, then looked away again. "In all honesty... I'm scared, Gutsy... I- I don't think I've ever been so scared before..."

"Ah'm scared too," Gutsy sighed. "It's scary to think she'll never come back..."

"I know... But it's not just that, bubbeleh..." Chi said quietly, putting her hand to her swelled belly nervously.

"Ah." Gutsy smiled. "Yeh don' think Aiko was the only one who'd protect yeh, do yeh? To be fair, she did save you and that little surfer there..."

Chi shook her head a little. "No... I already know you guys would protect me, and the baby... b-but...!" she squeezed her eyes shut, then turned around to face Gutsy. She looked him straight in the eyes. "Gutsy... C-can I tell you something...?" She squeaked, desperate to get her thoughts out in the open. "Something I'm too scared to tell Vanity, or even Hefty? Something only Papa and Aiko know...?"

"Ah course," Gutsy smiled. "Ah may not be Papa or Aiko, but Ah'ma good listener, and Ah can keep a secret. Yeh cain trust me."

Chi breathed a small sigh of relief. "Thank you, Gutsy..." she murmured.

She was already getting too tired of standing, so she took a seat. "See... We Okamoto women don't exactly mix well with childbearing..." Chi said sadly, cradling her belly in her hands, "Nearly every woman in my family has had problems keeping the baby, or getting it in the first place..." she looked down at her swollen stomach, "GETTING it was no problem... but..." her grip tightened slightly, "_P-Papa said that there's at least a 85% chance that only one of us is going to make it..._ Ai-Aiko promised to perform some of her spells and stuff during the birth, to keep us safe... b-but... w-w-without her-!" her breath hitched in her chest. "An-an-an-an' if I make it, and the baby doesn't... then- then there's at least a _98%_chance that I'll never be able to concieve or bear children again... assuming I ever DO get the guts t' marry Hefty-"she tensed up at the thought of it-"I... I'll never be able to give him a living child..."

Chi seemed to fold in on herself, silently crying and hugging her stomach. "I-I-I-I know I sound terribly selfish..." she said, "B-b-but I can't stand the thought of loosing my baby, Gutsy... myself, I don't fear death... Hefty's a big boy, he can take care of himself, and the little one... But I don't want to loose my baby knowing I'd never be able to have another... A-and without Aiko-!"

Gutsy hugged Chi. He suddenly remembered something. "Come with me." He lead Chi to the bedroom. On Aiko's bedside table were three things, a lamp, a huge notebook, and a pen. Gutsy flipped it open and then showed Chi the cover page. "EVERY SPELL I HAVE LEARNED WRITTEN SO BEGINNERS CAN UNDERSTAND THEM." Underneath were the words, "Private! Only to be read in emergencies or with permission."

Gutsy continued to flip thrlugh the book before giving a bark-like laugh. "Here they are! Her spells for you!" He showed her. Sure enough, scrawled at the top of the page were the words: "Spells For Chisette and The Little Smurfer". Spells and instructions for every scenario were there. For everything from blood loss to the baby not breathing, Aiko had written all of her solutions down.

"And since Brainy's been learnin' a bit of magic, and Aiko taught me a few things, well...between us, yeh don' hafta worry, Chi." He paused before laughing again. "Look at 'er, keepin' all of us safe even when she ain't here...Smurf help me, Ah'll miss 'er..."

Chi was stunned, speechless, even. The sight of it made made her heart melt a little, made some of her fears disappear. "Ai-chan..." she murmured softly, scanning over the spells and instructions, then choked on a chuckle in her throat. "Ya always were prepared, ya _meshuganah kalba_..."

She laughed a little again, until her laughs ebbed into tears.

"Always ready...makes me wonder if she saw the future..." Gutsy sighed. "Papa'll be wanting the glasses an' the photo," he added, only just remembering.

"Oh...right...almost forgot about'm..." she said distractedly.

She hugged Gutsy in calm condolence. "Thanks for listening, Guts." she said. "And thank you for showing me that book... I feel a lot better knowing about it now..."

She broke the hug and returned to Papa's lab.

* * *

Chi: AI-CHAAAAN! NOOOO!

Aiko: *walks in eating a sugar cookie drinking a Pepsi* Huh? What?

Chi: YOU JUST DIED! IT WAS SO SAD!

Aiko. Oh. Yeah. Darn.

Chi: HOW WILL IT END?! WHERE IS THE HUMANITY?!

Aiko: I dunno. Last chapter?

Chi: I LIKE THE WAY YOU THINK. READ AND REVIEW, EVERYONE!

Aiko: Yeah, we only got one review last chapter! We can do better than that!

Both: BYE!


	3. Drawings and Daisy

Aiko: *walks on in ratty pajama bottoms and white camisole and yawns*

Chi: Aiko? What are you doing?

Aiko: Getting breakfast. What does it LOOK like I'm doing?

Chi: You're supposed to be DEAD, remember?

Aiko: *sighs* Oh, fine. *fakes heart attack and falls on the ground*

Chi: I...don't even know what to say. Enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

_Perfection_

* * *

Chapter Three

Drawings and Daisy

* * *

More time passed, and by daybreak, Papa had talked to Farmer already. He was about to leave to go talk to Gutsy when Farmer stopped him. "No, Pa'smurf... Ah'll talk to'm. Ah owe him an apology anyway..."

Farmer started towards the door. "Van'ty, you wan' come with?"

"No, I'm going to rest a bit and visit Chi later. I didn't smurf much sleep last night..."

"Arright, shugah. Ah'll see ya later then." Farmer said, returning to kiss him goodbye, then walking to Gutsy's house.

He approached the door and knocked it loudly with the knuckle of his middle finger.

Gutsy looked up. He hadn't been able to sleep at all, so instead he had contented himself with flicking through Aiko's art. He hadn't noticed it was morning. "Ah'm comin', give me a minute." He made sure he looked decent enough for a visitor, encase Grouchy or somesmurf was waiting. The rest og the village didn't know Aiko was dead yet.

When he looked somewhat normal, he opened the door. "Oh, Farmer! Come in, come in. Want somethin' ta drink...?" He paused, suddenly realizing Aiko's precious pictures were all over. "Sorreh for de mess...Ah've been admiring me mate's talent all night..."

"Thanks, but naw, Gutsy... Ah dun' mind th' mess... Dad gum..." he looked around at all the papers all over the place. "Didn' know she drew..."

He picked up a stack of sketches and papers, and started to look through them, but remembered he was a guest in Gutsy's house. "Oh, Ah'm sorry," he said, then gestured towards the stack in his hands. "May Ah?"

"Sure, you'll like what's in that one." He paused while making some cocoa. "So, what brings yeh here?" He asked, holding the mug in his hands and offering one to Farmer if he wanted it.

Farmer thanked Gutsy and took the mug, sitting at the sofa and pausing before really looking at them. "Ah came t' 'poligize for last night," He said, standing up again and approaching Gutsy, "Wha' Ah said was outta line. An..." he paused, looking at the ground. "An' she was right... She wouldn'a made it off th' table..."

He bit his lip and tried to continue. "Pa'smurf said th' hawk's talons punctured 'er stomach, AN' 'er lungs... it was a miracule she survived 's long as she did...

"Ah'm sorry Ah got like tha'... Ah jus... Ah didn' wan' b'lieve tha' the one who saved me from m'self, an' saved m' mate, an' m' friends so many times was dyin' an' wouldn' let me help 'er..."Farmer blinked back tears, "Suppose she knew already... Pa'smurf says Ah got some kind'a condition tha' makes it so Ah got less blood t' give..." the smurf ducked his head, "Smurfin' th' spell woulda' killed me..."

Farmer took a slow drink from the cocoa and waited for some sort of response...

"Ah understand..." Gutsy murmured. "It's hard ta know she did so much an' then was ripped away from us in a matter of seconds..." He sighed. "But Ah have plenty of memories, an' she left me with this art, and her spells..."

He sipped at his cocoa. "She was a godsmurfed angel...and Ah guess she got her wings..."

Farmer nodded and sipped his cocoa again. "She got her wings alright," he said, "jus' b'fore her time..."

he sighed and shook his head slightly, as he wandered back to the stack of sketches. He thumbed through them, marveling at the details. "Daggum..." Farmer muttered, "Brainy... Harmony... Scaredy... Clumsy... Hefty... Painter... Ah bet she drew almos' everysmurf..." His sights fell on a simple picture of him carrying Vanity over the threshold, like he'd done recently to help him in and out of his chair. "Tha's... me an' Van'ty..." he murmured, and slowly changed the picture again.

This picture was of somesmurf he didn't recognize. It looked like a little Smurfling, a little girl Smurfling to be exact, and had overalls and some sort of a flannel shirt. her wavy hair looked strewn all over the place, but kept together in two wavy pigtails. Her hat looked like his, except there was a little flower in the corner, over the ear. "Hey, Gutsy," Farmer called over to him, "D'ya know who this is? Ah dun' think Ah recognise 'er."

"Yeh don'? Ah thought yeh'd recognize 'er. That's yer miracle, yer project made outta blue clay. 'Er name's Daisy." Gutsy smiled, remembering watching as Daisy started out flat and lifeless, lines in paper, and then seeing how Aiko brought her to life.

Farmer felt his heart sink in his chest out of shock- a good kind of shock, though. "Th- Tha's my daughter...?" he asked, "B-but- She ain't even been animated yet...! she's still'a lump'a clay in th' lab right now... how on smurf... how on smurf cou' she know she's gon' be like this...?"

"Aiko knew alotta things." Gutsy shrugged. "Like...one second...this." He pulled a sheet of paper from a stack soley dedicated to Aiko herself and Gutsy. But in this picture, they were not alone.

This was a rare drawing. Aiko had colored it in with colored pencils rather than leaving it black and white. The Smurfling in the drawing was female, wearing a skirt. It closely resembled Gutsy's kilt, but was a lighter shade of blue. She had Gutsy's messy russet hair, and a shirt like her mother's, but the shade was a bit lighter to match her skirt.

The girl was laughing as she wrestled playfully with Aiko. Gutsy was grinning proudly at them, looking amused that they obviously didn't behave. He was inching closer to help the Smurfling play-fight with her mother.

Aiko's face was amused as well, but with an air of pride at her daughter. She was dutifully readying herself to bowl the younger, less experienced Smurfette out of the way.

"Tha's our Melody," Gutsy smiled, showing Farmer.

Farmer took the paper and examined all the details. "Dad gum..."he whispered, "heh heh, she's jus' like th' both'a ya..." he added with a chuckle. "Ah'm jus' sorry she didn' make it t' watch her be brought t' life, an' grow up, n'stuff..."

"Ah might not 'ave seen 'er anyway..." Gutsy murmured. "Aiko was afraid of anythin' more intimate than hugs an' kisses, not that Ah blame 'er, after wha' ' er father did ta 'er... He ruined her life, 'im an' 'er mother both. Some people shoudn't be parents..."

Farmer shook his head a little, scratching the back of his head. "Ah guess humans from th' future, save fir th' ones like Chi 'n Aiko, are pretty stupid if they dunn'o tha' y' don' turn 'gainst family...Ah cain't cain't even imagine wha' it'd be like if PAPA was like tha'... sure he spanked us sometimes when we was smurflin's, bu' he never hit us other than tha'..."

"I suppose...God, tha' must be terrible...being scared of the man who's supposed to protect yeh..." He seemed far away, in a trance, almost.

He came back with a small jump. "Sorreh...yeh don' wanna listen ta me ramble...Ah just wish she'd come back..."

Farmer shook his head and shrugged his shoulders a little. "Ramble on, Gutsy. Ah don' mind." he said, "Ah dun' blame ya... Ah cain't even imagine wha' Hefty'd do if he los' Chi, or if Ah los' Van'ty..."

He felt his stomach lurch slightly as he remembered he almost did...

"'E almost lost you." Gutsy said bluntly. "'E woulda done, if Aiko hadn't known you'd pull somethin'."

He sighed. "Ah dunno what Ah'm gonna do wit'out 'er...she was me life...now she's gone." He shook his mane of russet hair from side to side.

"Ah'll be back in a second," he said, standing up. "Ah need somethin' out o' the bedroom."

Farmer nodded his head a little, "Take y' time..." he said softly.

Farmer contemplated his words a moment. He was right, if Aiko hadn't saved him, he would've left Vanity like this, lost, grieving, guilty... he decided right then and there he'd apologize to him for everything, not just the suicide attempt, but for the drinking, and the unsmurfy behavior too. he'd never realized just how much he'd taken Vanity for granted...

Gutsy strolled into the bedroom and bent down to open the drawer of his bedside table.

He heard himself gasp in shock. Inside was a neatly wrapped package in bright paper. He carefully ripped off the paper to find a projector and a video disc inside, with a note.

_'Dear Gutsy,_

_Happy anniversary! I know you always wanted to see my "singing" and "dancing" in my school musical. I managed to get Handy to help me convert the video from my iPod onto a disc. Now you can watch it whenever you want to! I also had Handy build a player. Just put the disc in, connect it to the projector, and point the projector at the big, white curtain hanging in my art room._

_I love you. See you tonight, we can watch it together!_

_Forever and always, _

_~Aiko'_

He stared at the parcel. That was right...they're anniversary was yesterday...and she...died...He did his best to compose himself as he walked back to the living room, holding the drawing he'd been looking for and the precious gift.

Farmer heard footsteps from up the hall, and turned to see Gutsy, looking as though he'd just had his heart broken again. "You arright, Gutsy?" Farmer asked, then noticed the items in his hands, "Wha's tha?"

"Ah...Ah fergot..." Gutsy said shakily, staring at the note. "Our anniversary...Ah fergot all about it in the excitement..."

He handed the note to Farmer, staring at the gift like it was a precious treasure, like his Aiko.

Farmer scanned the note, feeling his heart heavy in his chest. "Dad... Dad gum..." he murmured, "Ah'm so sorry... Ah cain't imagine what you feel right now..."

"Ah lost 'er...Ah lost my mate, my life, on our anniversary...Ah'm an idiot..."

"How're you an id'jit, Gutsy?" Farmer asked, "If any'un's an id'jit in here, it's me... it was my fault she was out there in th' first place... Don' be so hard on yo'self."

"Ah have to blame someone," Gutsy replied quietly. "An' Ah don' wanna blame anyone but myself...what am I, some sort of emotional masochist at the moment?" he laughed weakly.

Farmer patted Gutsy on the back. "No'un blames ya, Gutsy..."he said quietly, "ESPECIALLY not Aiko... she cou' never blame ya for this..." he laughed dryly, "If she did, ya'll have a smurfed-off ghost t' deal with. She wouldn' LET ya forget."

Gutsy laughed. A loud, dog-like sound. "She would, woundn't she...and she'd go flyin through the village, terrorizin' Brainy till he couldn't see straight-!" His amusement felt good and bad at the same time. Good, because he felt better, but bad because he was supposed to be grieveing.

Farmer found himself laughing some too. "Hahaha... Ah dun' think ANYSMURF wou' be safe from 'er... maybe not even Chi!" Farmer saw the guilt in Gutsy's face from laughing at the dark humor. "Hey... part'a grievin' sposed t' be r'memberin' th' good stuff... not jus' th' bad... don' feel bad for laughin... y'already know she'd do it."

Gutsy shook his head. "Ah feel so lost...Ah was supposed to help her, love her, keep her safe, listen...Now what am Ah supposed to do?"

Farmer patted the back of the grieving smurf. "ah dun think yo're really _sposed_ t' do anythin', cuz. Cept breathin' an' eatin' an' tha' kinda thin. Bu' ah guess wha'cha OUGHT t'do wou' be t' keep livin' life... Laugh some days, cry th' next... Jus'keep hangin' on... At least ya got friends like me, Chi, an' Hefty t' help ya through it."

"Ah suppose so...but Ah dunno how Ah'm gonna survive...Ah feel like Ah lost my purpose in life..."

"Ah understand how y'feel, cuz. bu' no'un ever has only a single purpose in life..."

"Ah'm not so sure," Gutsy replied bluntly.

"Well, _Ah do_. Otherwise smurfs wouldn' live a thousand years."

Gutsy moaned as if in physical agony. "Centuries with my heart smurfed to pieces...! Ah can't do it-!"

"Here's me soundin' real cliche... Bu' time heals jus' about all wounds..."

"Ah know that's not true," Gutsy sighed quietly. "If it were, Aiko wouldn't have been the way she was. Ah know yeh never saw it, but she was scared of everything, from her shadow to her name to her parents. And it only got worse, never better."

Farmer shrugged a little and shook his head, "Cuz, Ah cain't tell you how t' feel better... Aiko... She wen' through hell in 'er human life... Ah don' blame 'er fo' bein' so scared all th' time... Bu' cha gotta keep in mind, Gutsy... she had a whole human life'a sufferin... bu' she's a' peace now..."

Gutsy sighed. "Maybe Ah need more time ta think."

"No'un's askin' ya t' heal t'day, cuz... An' you got friends like me t' help ya. so, at least ya ain't alone."

"Good," Gutsy sighed. "It ain't happening fer a long time."

* * *

Elsewhere in the village, in her own home, Chi was trying to figure out what to write for a eulogy. without much luck, of course. She'd always been an adept writer, but she just couldn't organize her thoughts... she heard a knock on the front door, then went to go answer it. "Vanity!" she smiled a little, her face a little droopy with sleeplessness. "Come in, please come right in."

"Chi, dear, you look absosmurfly exhausted," Vanity sympathized, steering himself inside. "Are you alright? You seem smurfed. Something bothering you?"

"Insomnia... Couldn't sleep a wink... haven't since day before yesterday." she murmured, rubbing her eyes a little, "Plus on top of that, I just can't figure out how to write a eulogy..."

"When is the funeral, anyway...?" asked Vanity. "I mean, it's not like you have to finish it today, right?"

Chi put a kettle of water on the stove to make tea. "Funeral's not until next week," She said softly, "B-but... The sooner I can finish it up, I think... the sooner I can start moving on..." she shook her head. "I don't do saddness anymore, Vanity... I can't let myself become depressed again since I've got this one coming in a couple more weeks..." she patted her tummy and absentmindedly looked for some sort of munchies to go with the tea.

"I understand...but you shouldn't work to hard." He paused. "She probably would think we're being silly...worrying about eulogies and fussing over funeral dates...she'd probably tell us she didn't care..."

Chi exhaled a little chuckle, shaking her head, "I'm sure that's exactly what she's doin' up there, or wherever she is..." She laughed a little. "She's sittin' on some cloud somewhere, with Kelly and Katana, just watching us fuss over these things, and rolling her eyes, making snarky comments we cant hear... haha..."

"That," snickered Vanity, "or she's setting the place on fire..."

Chi laughed fairly hard. "Oh, Aiko... The only angel to set the afterlife on fire!" the tea kettle whistled loudly as if joining her loud laugh.

She took the kettle off the burner and started to mix tea for her and Vanity. "My God, it feels good to laugh... Sugar or cream, bubbee?"

"Sugar. Ha...she probably wouldn't just set it on fire. She'd be running around, breaking buildings and cackling like a witch..."

Chi stirred a lump of sugar into one of the two cups, then some cream into the other. "Haha... that's definately our Aiko. Scream of a banshee, cackle of a witch. pyromania of a psychopath."

She handed Vanity the cup with sugar, and sipped from her own cup. "I wonder what it's like up there...?" She mused quietly.

"Well, if Aiko was willin' to go there, it's gotta be downright breath-taking. She wouldn't leave Gutsy easily."

"Yeah..." Chi said,nibbling on the edge of her cup and fighting the tears welling up. "I'll say..."

Out of the blue (pun intended XD), Chi felt a terrible pain course through her abdomen. so much so that she dropped her teacup with a loud crash and put a hand to her belly. "AAH! AH!" She moaned in unadulturated pain.

Vanity stared at her. "Chi, dear?! Are you alright?!"

Chi had to steady herself against the counter. Her face was scrunched in pure agony as she shook her head, "N-No, bubbee! The Baby-! I- I think I'm- **_AAH!_**" Chi cut herself off because of the pain.

"Oh my smurfness!" Yelped Vanity. "Is the baby coming? Do you want me to get Papa or Hefty or-"

Chi started breathing faster. "Papa-!" She managed to say, "H-help me get t' Papa's!"

"Alright, come on, dear..." Vanity helped Chi to Papa's. The walk was long, slow, and for Chi, painful, but they managed to get inside the elder's mushroom. "Papa!" Called Vanity, "Chi needs you!"

"Oh my smurfness!" Papa exclaimed at the sight of Chi, who was now panting and grimacing in pain, and then ran to help her to the bed, "Brainy, search my medical books for 'Childbirth'. NOW!"

Chi laid down on the bed, Vanity by her side. "V-Vanity..." She squeaked, "I need you t' go get Hefty, and Gutsy... He has a book of Aiko's spells..."

Before Vanity could roll away, she grabbed his hand "A-and when you find Hefty..." She grimaced in pain, her face twisted in some kind of strong emotion, then snarled menacingly "**_WASTE HIM_**..."

Vanity laughed weakly and made a mental note to warn Hefty that Chi was out to kill.

After warning Hefty of his impending doom, Vanity wheeled his way to Gutsy's. He knocked rapidly on the door. "Ah'm comin-! Ah'm comin'-!"

The Scottish Smurf opened the door. Gutsy was slightly dissheveled, his eyes dull. "Vanity? What are yeh doin' here?"

"Chi's having the baby! She mentioned something about Aiko? And spells?"

"Great Smurfs!" Gutsy yelped. "Ah'll be there soon!" He took off to his bedroom and found the spellbook. Panting, he made a mad dash for Papa's, not noticing that Farmer had left, nor caring.

He arrived gasping for breath and shoved the notebook to Brainy. The smart Smurf took one look at the first page before yelling indignately. "What's thjs supposed to mean?!"

Rather than the cover that Gutsy had shown Chi, the title page was different, now reading: "_All the Spells I Have Learned Written Down So Even Brainy Can Understand Them_."

Chi noticed Brainy's indignance, and found herself laughing a little. "Thats... Aiko for ya." she muttered.

Hefty had quickly joined her by her bedside, wiping sweat away from her forehead, holding her hand. after several hours or so of preparations from everyone else in the room, Chi was having more and more contractions, getting closer and closer together. and more PAINFUL, as well. "It'll be alright, babe..." Hefty tried to soothe her, and kissed her on the forehead.

Chi had another contraction, this one even more painful than the last, and swatted his face away, "_**GODSMURFIT, HEFTY! DON'T F$%^ING TOUCH ME! THIS IS ALL YOUR F*&#$ING FAULT! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOUUUU!**_"Chi screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to punch him right square in the face. "**_I'M NEVER LETTING YOU TOUCH ME AGAIN!_**"

Farmer, who had followed Gutsy and Vanity back to the lab, leaned towards Vanity. "Sure glad OURS isn' comin' like tha'."

Vanity shuddered. "Smurf forbid!"

Brainy opened the notebook to begin reading what Aiko had too see, and let out a yelp.

_Hello, Brainy. _was being scrawled in the book. And nosmurf was writing.

"What the smurf?!" he yipped, dropping the book and leaping backward.

_Gee, panic much? _the book wrote snappishly. _One would think you didn't know it was me. Miss me, twerp? Or have you been enjoying being the only apprentice?_

"AIKO?!" yelled Brainy.

_Yeah. Who'd ya think ya were talking to?_

"W-what about Aiko...?" Chi whimpered, already weak from exhaustion.

Papa was growing impatient waiting for Brainy to find the section on childbirth. "SMURFIT, Brainy, hurry up with that- _Great smurfs!_" he exclaimed, seeing the book with the writing on what appeared to be its own accord.

_Why do I get the feeling I'm not wanted?_ wrote the book testily. _Look, ya want my help or not?_

"HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?!" yelled Brainy.

_Apparently I have connections here. No, scratch that, KELLY has connections. And being BFFs with her just gets me special privleges. Even if I did 'accidentally' set a few things on fire._

"YOU SET THE AFTERLIFE ON FIRE!?" Brainy yelled, horrorstruck.

Vanity snickered, remembering his conversation with Chi.

_Not all of it, calm down._

Another contraction hit Chi, who immediately began shrieking obcenities.

_Alright, Brainy, you are NOT to touch this book. Just read. Now, you have to cast a Strengthening Spell on her._

"Why?"

_She's getting tired, smurf for brains. Here._ The book's pages flipped of their own accord and landed on a Strengthening Spell. _There you are. Don't smurf it up. _

Chi felt tears rolling down her cheeks as the intense pain ripped through her. such terrible pain...! It felt as though she was about to die!

Brainy quickly joined her by her side, and read from the book:

_"Vires est humilis, misit hoc incantatores,_

Date potestatem mihi per amicum officio!"

Pink and green energy danced from the book to around Chi's body, filling her with more power. She started to feel a little better. granted, not Wonder Woman better, but better none the less.

_Wow, Brainy, even I'm impressed! _Aiko wrote, and Brainy glared at the book.

"You know, I really hate you."

_Feeling's mutual, _Aiko retorted smoothly. _So, how's she doing, Papa? _

Papa looked to Chi, who was still breathing heavily and whimpering from the intense pain. "She's holding on..." Papa replied, patting her on the forehead, "but she's still very weak."

_I would joke about not trying to break Hefty, but I'll resist the overpowering urge. Now, Brainy, try to be competent for a moment and concentrate very hard on this next spell._

"Hey!" Brainy protested. "I'm competent!"

_I'm going to say that you're not. CONCENTRATE, you dork! Here! _

The book's pages flew wildly before landing on a 'Helping Hand' spell.

"What is this?" Brain asked.

_In short? An actual helping hand. Basically, it shall help you get the baby out of Chi. Which I am sure she'd appreciate. Now smurf to it!_

Brainy nodded and propped the book up against Chi's side, and read from the book again:

_"subsidiis dextra manus sit subsidium._

oportet manum aliquis porrigat est.

iuvare, adiuvare, opus a ad commoda a iuvare manu!"

What seemed to be a hand made purely of a magenta colored aura flew from the book and into Chi's belly. A powerful, searing pain coursed through her body. She screamed as loudly as her vocal cords allowed, and gripped Hefty's hand so hard she threatened to break it. "Almost there, Chi!" Papa urged, "Just a little more! I think I can see the head!"

_Nicely done. Well, I best be off. I have more fires-I mean, tables, to set. Yes, that's it. Anywho, gotta smurf. Tell Gutsy I love him, and to quit crying over me. Seriously, Ravu, it's not your fault, so hurry up and be happy! I feel guilt tripped._

"Ah-" Gutsy began.

_GUILT TRIPPED, LOVE. Oh, Vanny? Tell Farmer to show that hideous picture Gutsy showed him. It's horrible, but...and Chi, dearie, congratulations! Your Little Smurfer is so cute! And before you ask, no, I will not stop calling your baby that. It is the official nickname if the baby._

Just as Chi pushed again, starting to pass the shoulders, she kissed her fingers and pressed them to the corner of the book, tears in her eyes. "I don't mind, Ai-chan... Thank you...!" she had to draw a breath, and bite her lip so she didn;t scream too loudly, "I-I'll always tell my baby about you... you're his guardian angel now, got it memorized?"

"Actually," Papa corrected, "_Her._"

the loud wails of an infant filled the room, and the pain in Chi's abdomen was fading. Papa cleaned the newborn, then wrapped her in a blanket and passed her to Chi. "my... my god..." she murmured, "Her hair... it's white..."

Hefty huddled next to Chi, putting a hand on his daughter's cheek. "She's still perfect..." he replied.

Farmer took a folded paper from his pocket and offered it to Vanity. "Here... Ah think Aiko's talkin' bout this..."

_I was gonna be the guardien angel anyways. She's so cuuuute...I love her white hair. And no, I did not do it._

Vanity unfolded the picture and stared at it before turning to the book. "This isn't hideous, it's amazing! Who is she?"

_You seriously don't recognize your own daughter? We should name you Brainy. By the way, I have a bone to pick with all of you! Why in the name of smurfness are you giving me one of those sad funerals? With sad music and crying people? Hmm? _Even Aiko's script seemed testy.

"To be fair," Chi started, her voice froggy from all the screaming as she cradled her whimpering newborn, "I was gonna sing 'For Good' from Wicked... Seein' all those pictures ya drew of Elphaba and Glinda... it made somethin' click... it's sad, but... it's true... because I knew you... no, because WE knew you... we've all been changed for good. and darnit, you ain't got a say in it, ya _meshuganah kalba_!" she added with a little chuckle.

Farmer patted Vanity on the back. "OUR daughter, Van'ty..." he said softly, "OUR Daisy..."

"She's...amazing..." Vanity whispered, staring at the picture in awe.

_But does it have to be serious? I don't like funerals that make people cry! I want some say and my say is it has to be fun. Loud un-funeral-ish music and silly speeches and you calling me a crazy bitch in Yiddish about every ten minutes._

Papa stared at the book. _What? My mother had a cousin whose funeral was like that. It was a blast. We listened to 'Dead Man's Party' and booed at his brother and all sorts of stuff! We should make it fun!_

"Ah'm pretty sure yeh might be the only angel who's helping with her own funeral plans," Gutsy laughed.

_You better believe it._

Farmer stood behind Vanity and looped his arms around him. "An' she's _OURS,_shugah..."

Chi chuckled a little, rolling her eyes slightly and letting her baby sleep against her chest. "I'll see what I can do, ya _meshuganah kalba_, you... haha... just don't set ALL the afterlife on fire before I get there! haha!"

Chi absentmindedly patted her newborn's back, and hummed "Baby Mine" by Alison Krauss, as she thought of a name. "Ukyo..." She murmured.

_Aw, no worries. I just torched the Brainy section. She's so sweet, you just wait. That kid will be on my radar 24-7. Just like the rest of you. Boo._

Aiko paused. _HI!_ was suddenly scrawled across the page in loopy, fancy writing. _I'M KELLY! AND YOU MUST BE CHI! AND HEFTY, AND BRAINY, AND UKYO, AND VANITY AND FARMER AND PAPA AND- Oooh, Aiko, is that Gutsy? He's cuuute...what do you mean, 'don't write that?' Then they can't laugh with me and Katana! You guys should see her, she looks like a tomato, haha!_

Brainy was laughing so hard it looked as though he was going to asphyxiate.

Kelly's loopy scrawl continued, _Brainy, Aiko says to tell you if you don't stop laughing she'll destroy your books, set fire to your house, then break your skull._

They all started laughing, something they felt as though they'd never do again. all except for Brainy, who immediately clammed up for fear of having his skull smashed in.

* * *

It was nearly two weeks after the funeral, and Vanity, Chi, Farmer and Ukyo-in Chi's arms- were anxiously waiting in Papa smurf's lab. Today was the day! the day Vanity and Farmer had been waiting nearly four months for! Farmer gripped Vanity's hand in nervous excitement. "Ah cain't b'lieve it!" he said, "T'day's th' day!"

Vanity smiled, slightly worried. "Yeah, today's the day...we get to meet Daisy." He paused. "Do you think Aiko was right when said Daisy liked both of us?"

"Ah course she was!" Gutsy laughed. "Why wouldn't she be? Been right about everything else, hasn't she?"

Vanity bad to admit that was true. Aiko had made hundreds of predictions before her death, and most or them had, or were likely to, come true, save for Melody, the daughter of Gutsy and Aiko herself.

Papa and Brainy were barely paying attention to their conversation, and were focused on a very small clay doll inside of a cauldron, molded and shaped to look like a smurf. Papa smurf spoke an incantation over it, adding more ingredients to the bubbling cauldron.

_"whisker felis, oculus limax,  
pluma corvi et capillos vermiculos  
parvus creavit in spiritum,  
Hanc pupa de lutum ad vitam!"_

There was a loud explosion of smoke and bubbling of alchemy chemicals and ingredients for a moment, as the doll in the cauldron took on the appearance of a young smurfette. her hair was shoulderlegnth, dirty blonde and wavy. her eyes were closed. for a moment. nothing seemed to happen. but after a moment or two had passed, the little child's eyes started to flutter. since she was much smaller- and possibly much younger in age- than the other smurflings, Papa scooped her up in a towel and swaddled the unclothed smurfling. "Congradulations, my little smurfs," Papa said proudly, cradling the little smurfling in his arms, "Your DNAs have successfully created a healthy little smurfette child!"

Vanity took the Smurfling with shaking hands and stared at her. She pondered him for a moment before running one hand down the scar across his eye, then sneakily snatching his flower out of his hat before he realized what she was doing.

"Haha!" Gutsy's booming, dog-like roar of a laugh ripped up his chest. "If Ah didn't already know she was Daisy, Ah'd say yeh'd have ta call her Mischeivous Smurfling!"

Daisy held onto the flower, but still ran her fingers up and down Vanity's scar, an almost concerned look on her face. "Awwee...?" she muttered, as if trying to say "Owie" but lacking the vocal skills.

Farmer stood behind Vanity, and put a hand to Daisy's cheek, finding that his hand was only a little smaller than her head.

"No, it doesn't hurt," Vanity told her. "I have a friend who had much worse. You would have liked her."

Gutsy smirked. "Ah think Aiko would've loved the Squirt, if yeh ask me." He chuckled.

Farmer smiled, feeling tears in his eyes. "Dad gum..." he murmured, "Ah think she would'a too..."

Daisy snuggled a little against Vanity's chest. "Pa...Papi..." she murmured quietly.

"Awww... how precious!" Chi swooned a little, cradling her own little one. "You guy's've got one smurfofa kid there!"

Farmer smiled at her, then turned more to Vanity again. "Shugah... K'ai hold 'er too...?"

Vanity smiled. "Sure, darling," he replied, gently cradling Daisy and passing her to Farmer.

Gutsy smiled, slightly bittersweet. There was a melancholy edge to the scene: Melody. His daughter. She would never be around to laugh and play with Ukyo and Daisy. Melody would never curl up at his side to sleep simply because she loved her father.

He shook his saddened thoughts away. He shouldn't greive for Melody or Aiko. He should be happy, for Farmer and Vanity. And most importantly, Daisy.

Farmer used one of his fingers to stroke the little smurfling's cheek, his voice reduced to almost a whisper. "Hi, shugah..." he whispered, "Ah'm yo' daddy... Ah've waited a lon' time t' meet ya..." he let the tears welling up in his eyes start to flow down his cheeks, a wide smile on his face. "An' it was worth every secon'..."

Brainy strode over to the two of them and put a small, white smurf's hat on Daisy's little head. Daisy in turn shook her head with a cranky pout and swatted the hat awaywith her hand. "nnf! nnnnF!" she protested.

"I guess she doesn't like you much, Brainy." Chi laughed a little in amusement.

Brainy pouted and started into a diatribe about how nobody appreciates him. Meanwhile, Daisy reached up and started swatting Farmer's hat out of place. "Ah dunno, Ah reckon she jus' doesn' like hats much." Farmer shrugged.

The hat finally fell forward on top of Daisy, who then giggled in delight.

"Maybe," Gutsy suggested, "She doesn't like traditional hats. Ah don' think she's a full-blown no hat wearer, like Aiko was."

"She does seem to like your hat, Farmer dear," Vanity smiled.

Gutsy checked the drawing Aiko had done. "See? Aiko thought she'd like straw, too." Experimentally he moved Farmers hat so it sat just covering Daisy's eyes. A delighted shriek was heard from inside.

Farmer found himself chuckling and smiling at the little child playing with his hat. "Apple dun' smurf too far from th' tree, eh?"

Daisy didn't even bother moving the hat out of her eyes, and took the flower in her hands and dried to stick it in Farmer's hat, unsuccessfully. "mmf! mmmf! Da-deeeeeyy..." she whined a little, pouting and trying to figure out how to put the flower in his hat.

Farmer looked over to Vanity, "Tha's mo' YO' expertise, shugah," he said.

Vanity laughed and gently plucked the flower from Daisy's hands. She gave a small cry of protest that threatened a tantrum, but before anything could start Vanity placed the flower in the hat. Daisy made a small yipping sound of approval while Vanity and Farmer laughed and Gutsy smirked.

Farmer smiled widely and put an arm around Vanity, watching Daisy babble and coo in delight at seeing her fathers. "She's so beautiful, shugah..." Farmer half whispered, "Ah cain't b'lieve we cou' help make somethin' so smurfy..."

"Me either, Farmer...she's just wonderful...heh, I wonder if Aiko minds being the guardian angel of two little Smurfling girls?"

He turned around to look at Gutsy and Chi, but drew a breath when he saw what looked to be Aiko with large, silvery wings standing behind them. her glasses glinted in the light, and she smirked a "y'done good" smile contentedly. Three others stood nearby; a young boy who looked suspiciously like Aiko, who had one arm wrapped around the waist of a girl with pigtails down to the backs of her legs and breath taking beauty. Between them was a young girl with dark hair and ice eyes. They each had yellow-golden, pearl white, and shimmering bronze wings, respectively.

Aiko ran a hand over Ukyo, who squealed a little in delight, then snuggled back against her mom, then practically glided to where they were and put a hand on Daisy's small forehead. The little child cooed and uttered a big yawn before she too snuggled up to her Poppi. Aiko kept her smirk and winked at Farmer, then glided to Gutsy, and seemed to fade away. Farmer turned to see if she had joined the others, but they had faded as well.

He rested his chin over Vanity's shoulder, letting Vanity hold their little girl on his lap. he was caught in thought... even with Aiko gone... and his mate forever bound to a wheelchair and scarred over his face... somehow... Everything seemed perfect...

"Ah dun' thin she minds at all, shugah..."

~FIN.

* * *

Chi: And that's the end. Ai, you can get your breakfast now.

Aiko: *jumps up* THANK you!

Chi: Say goodbye first!

Aiko: Goodbye, au revoir, farewell, adieu, parting is such sweet sorrow!

Chi: A little over the top, but good.

Aiko: Thank you.

Chi: Remember to review!

Aiko: Yes! They're almost as good as Pepsi and sugar cookies for breakfast! :D

Chi:...

Both: Bye, everysmurf!


End file.
